Boston, MA --- John Adams (Douglas, MA) posted game-bests of 19 points and 11 rebounds as the WPI held host Emerson to just 44 points and the Engineers went on the road and bested Emerson 61-44 in a NEWMAC men's basketball contest played Wednesday evening in Brown and Polfker Gym in Boston. 

The Crimson and Gray, who are receiving votes in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25, has now won seven straight outings, and move to 18-3 overall and 11-1 in conference action.  The win assured WPI at least a top two regular season league finish and a first round NEWMAC Tournament bye and spot in its 20th consecutive tournament semifinal.  The Engineers are now two games ahead of Clark, which lost 82-76 Wednesday night at Coast Guard with just four league games remaining.  The Lions dip to 9-11 on the season and 5-6 in NEWMAC play. 

WPI led for a good chunk of the opening half but nine straight Lions points, all 3-pointers, including a pair from Jacob Armant (Arlington, TX) during a 2:08 stretch that helped the hosts transform a 22-14 deficit into a 23-22 advantage with 4:18 to go before intermission. Adams then took center stage for the Engineers, netting eight points as the guests tallied 10 of the half's final 12 points to lead 32-25 at the break.  Adams led the way with 10 points and six rebounds as the Crimson and Gray held a 21-12 bulge on the glass in the opening 20 minutes. 

The guests rattled off the first seven points of the second half with an Aidan Callahan (Rowley, MA) 3-pointer sandwiched a layup by J.R. Newman (Havertown, PA) and an Adams jumper.  The WPI defense held Emerson scoreless over the opening 4:40 of the frame as the Lions misfired on their first four shots and turned the ball over three times during the drought.   The Engineers would not see their advantage leave double digits the rest of the way and would eventually lead by as many as 19 following an Adams layup with 3:02 remaining. 

Adams drained 8-of-11 shots from the floor and saw nine of his 11 rebounds come on the defensive end.  The senior posted his sixth double-double in the last seven contest and marked the 11th of the season and 34th of his career. Callahan reached double figures in scoring with 10 while Donovan Sevilla (San Ramon, CA) and Jack Bleier (Victor, NY) each added nine.  Bleier just missed his first double-double as the rookie added nine boards and Sevilla doled out a team-best four assists. 

Armant paced Emerson with 11 points, Asher Gardiner (Christchurch, New Zealand) contributed nine points and seven rebounds and Lucas Brenner (Miami, FL) tallied seven points.  The Lions struggled from the field on Wednesday evening, converting 16 of their 48 attempts (33.3%) including only 4-of-14 (28.6%) from three-point land. 

WPI is off until next Wednesday when they host Clark at 7:30pm on Harrington Auditorium in a matchup of the conference's top two squads.  Emerson also plays Clark next as the Lions head to Worcester Saturday to tangle with Clark in a 1pm tilt.