WPI 85, Becker 80
Box
Score
Worcester, MA --- Leading returning scorer Jeff
Robinson (Granby, CT) scored 20 of his career-high 28
points in the first half, as WPI held on for a hard-fought 85-80
win over visiting Becker in non-conference men's basketball action
on Sunday afternoon at Harrington Auditorium. The matchup, the
opening game of the seventh-annual Worcester County Classic, was
the season opener for both squads. With the win, WPI wins its 13th
straight Worcester County Classic game and starts the season with a
victory for the eighth year in a row. Becker begins its 2009
campaign at 0-1.
Robinson, who was second on the 2008 squad scoring 11.0 points
per game as the first man off the bench, shined in his first game
as a full-time starter. The junior's two free throws with 16:38 to
play in the first half gave the Engineers the lead at 5-4, a lead
they would hold for the rest of the game, while his three-pointer
just before intermission gave WPI its largest lead of the first
half at 47-36 heading into the locker room.
The Engineers would push the lead to as many as 18 midway
through the second half before the Hawks clawed their way back into
the game. Trailing 60-42 with 12:52 left, Becker took control of
the action and outscored WPI 32-17 over the next 11:05, led by
Rajai Leggett's (New Haven, CT) 14 of his
team-high 19 points during the spurt to pull the Hawks to within
three with 1:47 to go, 77-74. Robinson came on strong in the last
minute and a half to help put the game away, scoring five of WPI's
final eight points including the final two free throws that sealed
the Crimson and Gray's first victory of the 2009 season.
Robinson also added a team-best nine rebounds and five assists,
while junior Ben Etten (Hollis, NH) added 20
points, five boards and five assists. Fernando
Perez (Lowell, MA), Matt Carr
(Somersworth, NH) and Ryan Brown (Worcester, MA)
each chipped in with eight points for WPI. Carr and Bennett
Lessard (North Belgrade, ME) each grabbed seven rebounds.
WPI made nine three-pointers in the win, including four from
Etten. The Engineers enjoyed a slight rebounding edge, 47-38,
helped by their work on the offensive glass. WPI pulled down 22
offensive boards en route to 18 second-chance points.
Leggett and Terrance Favors (Boston, MA) each
had 19 to lead Becker, who featured four players in double-figures.
Matt Petrides (Belchertown, MA) dropped in 14
points, including three of the Hawks' four three-pointers.
Trey Jacobs (Lexington Park, MI) contributed 12
points for the visitors. Favors paced Becker with five assists,
while Chris Parker (Green Bay, WI) corralled a
team-best eight rebounds.
WPI will take on the winner of Nichols and Worcester State in
the tournament championship game, which will be held Monday night
at WPI's Harrington Auditorium at 7:30pm. Becker will face the
Nichols-Worcester State loser in the consolation game at 5:30pm.
Story by Ray Cotrufo - WPI Athletics
