WPI 69, Babson 65   

Box Score

Worcester, MA --- Jerome Kirkland (Boston, MA) and Ben Etten (Hollis, NH) each registered 15 points to help lift host WPI to a hard-earned 69-65 win over Babson in NEWMAC men's basketball action on Wednesday evening.  With the victory, WPI ups its record to 13-3 overall and remains undefeated (4-0) in conference play.  Babson evens its record at 8-8 on the year and dips to 0-4 in NEWMAC action.  

The contest was a back-and-forth affair featuring 10 lead changes and 12 ties.  The Engineers were nursing a 63-62 advantage with just under a minute remaining when Etten drained a pair of field goals to push the lead to 67-62 with 24 seconds left.  After a Beavers free throw, Jeffrey Robinson (Granby, CT) canned a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining to seal the victory.  A jumper by Babson's Eric White (Hyattsville, MD) provided the final margin.

Robinson joined Etten and Kirkland in double figures for the Engineers with 13 points on the night.  Senior point guard Adam Lirette (Dover, NH) led all players with five assists while NT Izuchi (Boston, MA) tied his season-best with a team-high five boards.

Ben's older brother Zach Etten (Hollis, NH) paced Babson with 13 points to go along with eight rebounds.  Shelton Ladson (New York, NY) aided the Beaver effort with 11 points, five boards and a pair of steals, while Marcus Edwards (East Hampton, NY) chipped in 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds.  

Babson enjoyed its largest lead of the game at 29-25 in the waning moments of the first half. The Engineers then reeled off eight straight points in the final 80 seconds of the stanza, capped by an one-handed, acrobatic runner by Jeffrey Robinson (Granby, CT) from just over half court to beat the buzzer.

Both teams will be in action this Saturday at 3pm. WPI heads out on the road to Norton, MA to take on Wheaton, while Babson returns home to continue its conference slate against Springfield.

Story by Ray Cotrufo '98 - WPI Athletics