CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Sophomore guard Osanto Marc (Kissimmee, Fla.) scored a game-high 22 points and the Regis College men's basketball team shot a torrid 68% (17-for-25) from the floor in the second half en route to a 72-53 victory over Wheelock College this evening in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) contest. Thee Pride have now won four of their last six games to improve to 4-13 overall and 4-4 in league play, while the Wildcats fall to 3-13, 2-6 NECC.
The Pride began the game by scoring nine of the first 11 points over the first four and a half minutes of play. Regis later owned a 14-5 advantage following a pair of free throws from Marc at the 13:34 mark, but Wheelock put together a 16-7 stretch, led by seven points apiece from sophomore guard Scott Sobel (Silver Spring, Md.) and junior forward Paul Coucci (Dartmouth, Mass.) to knot the contest at 21-21 with 4:18 showing in the opening half.
Coucci later made a layup for the Wildcats to cut the deficit to 25-23 with 2:38 to play in the first half, but the Pride netted the final four points to take a six-point margin (29-23) at halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Crimson & Gold scored the first 10 points of the second half, while holding Wheelock scoreless for the first 4:24 of the period to take a 39-23 advantage. Marc netted five points in the opening run for Regis.
Senior forward Bashir Hudson (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) converted one of two free throws for the home team's first point of the half and later drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 41-27 with 15 minutes remaining in the contest.
The Pride increased their lead to 55-34 with 9:15 showing in the period following a 14-7 stretch, paced by six points from sophomore forward Ethan Peana (Staten Island, N.Y.). Freshman forward Sean Semerjian (Montreal, Quebec) later knocked down a three-pointer for the Wildcats to pull them to within 62-45 with 4:59 to go in the game, but it would be as close as they would get the rest of the way as Regis led by as many as 21 points until they came away with the victory.
Marc added eight rebounds and a steal to his night for the Pride, while Peana finished with 18 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field in addition to three rebounds, two steals and an assist. Junior guard Ryan Chambers (Abington, Mass.) chipped in with 10 points, four boards, three assists and a steal.
Hudson led Wheelock with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double and ninth of the season to go with a steal. Coucci scored 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the floor, pulled down four rebounds, came up with a pair of steals and handed out an assist.
The Pride will be back in action when they head to New London, Conn. on January 26 to take on Mitchell College at 3:00 p.m.
Release courtesy of Wheelock Sports Information