Beavers Close Game with 19-7 Run, Earn Fourth Straight NEWMAC Road Victory

NORTON, Mass.—Sophomore Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) scored a game-high 17 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 60 seconds remaining to help visiting Babson College rally to defeat Wheaton College, 61-55, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball action on Wednesday night inside Emerson Gymnasium.

Babson has won five consecutive games to improve to 13-7 overall and 6-3 in conference play while Wheaton slips to 10-9 overall and 5-4 in the NEWMAC.

Amado led all players with 13 rebounds on the way to posting his third double-double of the season and graduate student Ryan Cibull (Alameda, Calif.) scored 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting in addition to contributing four steals and three assists to lead the Beavers. First-year Timmy O'Toole (Milton, Mass.) also chipped in with nine points and four steals in the win.

Senior Aaron Williams (Springfield, Mass.) scored 16 points and classmate Alex Carlisle (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) added 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists to pace the Lyons.

The Green and White, which trailed for nearly all of the game's first 36 minutes, outscored the hosts 19-7 over the final eight minutes of the contest. O'Toole converted a feed from Amado and senior Andrew Kirkpatrick (Winnetka, Ill.) hit back-to-back jumpers to tie the game at 48-all with 6:36 to play. Wheaton went back in front on a triple by Carlisle 90 seconds later but Amado canned a 15-footer and senior Aaron Gao (Bridgewater, N.J.) drilled a three-pointer from the right wing to give the Beavers a 53-51 advantage with 2:55 left.

Williams scored four straight points for Wheaton, including two free throws on the heels of a pull-up jumper by Cibull to forge a 55-55 deadlock with 1:13 to go, but Amado buried a deep three-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Beavers in front for good. Carlisle couldn't get his layup to drop on the Lyons' next trip and O'Toole rattled home a trifecta from the left corner with 16 seconds remaining.

Leading 11-8 nearly seven minutes into the game, Wheaton used an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the night at 19-8 on a three-pointer by sophomore Ty Murphy (Dedham, Mass.) with 10:10 go until halftime. The Green and White cut its deficit to 30-25 on a hoop by Cibull just before the break and got hoops from four different players during an 8-2 spurt that cut the Lyons' lead to 38-36 with 14:55 remaining in the second half.

The Beavers shot 45.6 percent for the game and turned 21 turnovers by the hosts into 19 points. The Lyons shot just 35.8 percent and were held to just two field goals over the final eight minutes of the contest.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday as Babson travels to No. 12 WPI at 3 p.m. while Wheaton visits Springfield at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are 41-15 all-time against Wheaton and have won 22 of the last 25 games between the teams.
• Babson has held eight consecutive opponents below 64 points and are now 11-2 on the year when allowing 65 points or fewer.
• After scoring 47 points on 22 field goal attempts in the Lyons' 64-56 win over the Beavers back on January 11, Babson limited Williams and Carlisle to 29 points on 22 shots in Wednesday's victory.
• Babson is now 6-0 this season when holding its opponents below 40 percent shooting.