WORCESTER -- Senior John Adams (Douglas, MA) delivered game-highs of 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists as the WPI men's basketball team defeated visiting Wheaton 66-59 in a hard-fought NEWMAC matchup played Thursday evening inside Harrington Auditorium.
 
The Engineers, who are receiving votes in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25, improve to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in conference action, while the Lyons slip to 9-7 on the season and 3-5 in NEWMAC play.
 
The first half was played in a ten-point window, with WPI leading for all but 29 seconds. WPI dominated the paint early, outscoring Wheaton 8-2 in the key through the first ten minutes but the game was knotted at 23 when J.R. Newman (Havertown, PA) ignited a late 10-2 Crimson and Gray run with a 3-pointer that helped give the hosts a 33-27 advantage at the half.  Seven Engineers got on the board in the opening 20 minutes, with Newman leading the way with eight points, including a perfect 2-of-2 from behind the arc, while Adams added five points and six rebounds on 2-for-5 shooting. Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, RI) and Sal Pedevillano (Parsippany, NJ) both had five first half points for the Lyons.
 
Adams scored seven of the hosts first eight points of the second half as WPI maintained a five-point lead through the first ten minutes.  Wheaton got back to within three with just under six minutes to go but a timely 3-pointer by Tim Reidy (Needham, MA) helped keep the Lyons at bay as they would not get any closer the rest of the way.   The guests only led once in the contest at 3-2 but WPI never led by more than 10 at any point and finished with the 66-59 win.
 
Tonight's double-double performance by Adams marked his third consecutive, eighth of the season and 31st of his career.  The senior canned 7-of-10 shots from the field, drew 10 fouls on the night on his way to attempting 14 free throws and was credited with one of the game's two blocks.  Donovan Sevilla (San Ramon, CA) netted nine of his 13 points after intermission, including three key baskets in the guts of the game.  Reidy also reached double figures in scoring, netting a season-best 10 points, including a pair of trifectas.

Tristan Herry (East Taunton, MA) led the way for Wheaton with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Iafrate added ten points and Tarmo Tari (Chelmsford, MA) scored nine to go with five boards.  The Lyons squad outrebounded the Engineers 42-35, including 13 offensive rebounds, contributing to 12 second chance points.
 
The Crimson and Gray kept the defensive pressure up all night, finishing with 11 steals to win the turnover battle 16-9, and parlayed the 16 miscues Wheaton into 16 points.  Adams' effort down low helped the Engineers outscore the Lyons 32-20 in the paint.
 
Both teams begin the second half of their NEWMAC schedules on Saturday afternoon.  WPI closes out a three-game homestand welcoming Salve Regina to Harrington Auditorium for a 1pm tipoff while Wheaton returns home to entertain Clark at 3pm.
 
Majority of Recap Written by WPI Sports Information Student Assistant Owen Radcliffe '25