New Haven, CT --- Junior Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, CT) dropped a team-high 21 points while sophomore Terry Dawkins (Bronx, NY) added 17 points as the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team defeated No. 22 WPI, 71-60, in a non-conference tilt Saturday evening inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. 

The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for Engineers and moved WPI to 8-2 while Albertus Magnus has now won eight straight and is 8-1.   

The Engineers enjoyed an early 11-7 lead following a triple from Kahleb Downing (Middletown, CT) five minutes into the game. WPI used a 5-1 run to push its lead to eight, 16-8, with 9:30 showing on the scoreboard.  Perkins began a 6-0 run for the hosts, 22 seconds later, to cut the deficit to two, 16-14, but WPI remained in control and maintained the lead over the next three minutes of play. 

With less than five minutes to go in the first, Albertus found its rhythm and took its fourth lead of the game, 24-23, thanks to a made jumper from Perkins.  WPI was unable to score against the Falcons and trailed 34-23 at the half. Albertus closed out the first with a 10-0 run behind six points from Marquan Watson (Waterbury, CT). 

Albertus saw the lead stretch to 20-point in second half. WPI managed to cut the lead in half, 57-45, with 6:37 remaining following a layup from Logan O'Donnell (Fishkill, NY).   

The Engineers continued to fight back as a pair of free throws from Garrett Stephenson (Townsend, MA) and a three from John Lowther (Hingham, MA) made it an eight-point game, 61-53, with 2:49 left in regulation. However, Albertus pushed its lead back-up to double-digits to remain undefeated at home. 

Reid Walker (Tampa, FL) stuffed the stat sheets for WPI with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists while Jake Needleman (Morganville, NJ) was a perfect 3-for-3 on 3-pointers en route to nine points off the bench for the Engineers. 

Andrew Rice (West Haven, CT) finished the game with a game-high 10 rebounds for the host Falcons.  Freshman Justice Washington (Hamden, CT) led the defensive unit with two blocks to go along with three rebounds, a steal and an assist. 

WPI is off for final exams and the holiday season and returns to the court on Saturday, January 4th for a 1pm road date at Framingham State.  Albertus Magnus returns to action next Saturday with a home non-conference game against St. Lawrence. Tip-off is set for 1pm. 

Majority of Release Courtesy Albertus Magnus Sports Information