Hampden, CT --- WPI men's basketball opened the 2024-25 campaign with an exhibition contest at NCAA Division I Quinnipiac. The hosting Bobcats posted a 22-0 run in the second half en route to the 71-47 victory at M&T Bank Arena on Thursday night.
 
The game was designated as an exhibition contest for the Engineers, who officially kick off regular season play next Tuesday. Quinnipiac, tabbed as favorites in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll last month now stand at 1-1 with the win and a 26-point loss at Yale this Monday.
 
WPI struck first with a Brett Marelli (Hampton, NH) layup as Aidan Callahan (Rowley, MA) tacked on an and-one layup after connecting on the free throw. The senior point guard then tacked on two additional free throws for the early 7-4 lead over the hosting Bobcats. Amarri Monroe (Newburgh, NY) this year's MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, connected on a three-pointer and free throw to kickstart a 9-0 run for Quinnipiac as WPI's Jack Bleier (Victor, NY) responded with a three-point play of his own bringing the contest to 13-10 at 13:59 in the first half.
 
The Bobcats than rallied on an 8-0 run backed three different scorers before a Justin Molen (Newark, DE) trifecta and Callahan layup marked the contest at 21-15. A Jaden Zimmerman (Bronx, NY) layup and Paul Otieno (Nairobi, Kenya) jumper pushed the Bobcats out to their first double-digit lead of the evening with 7:39 remaining in the opening stanza. The duo added three-consecutive dunks to jump out to a 31-17 mark as WPI's Joe Pebley (Fort Worth, TX) entered the scoring column knocking down two free throws.
 
Tim Reidy (Needham, MA) stepped up and dropped back-to-back treys to bring the contest to 38-25 in favor of Quinnipiac at the four-minute mark. A Callahan layup and a Will Barton (Meriden, CT) three pointer closed out the scoring for WPI as the Engineers were down 11 heading into the locker room.
 
Both squads traded baskets to open the second half of action as Bleier and graduate student Nicholas Margetson (Baldwin, NY) combined for seven for bring the game back to single digits at 45-37 with 15:20 remaining. The Bobcats then posted a 22-0 run spanning from 12:50 to 5:35 of the second half. Marelli knocked down a floater to stop the run as a Molen layup and threes by Nathan Bledsoe (San Antonio, TX) and first-year Jeremy Cai (Beijing, China) capped off the evening as the hosts claimed the 71-47 win.
 
On the night in Hamden, the Engineers totaled 10 different scorers led by Callahan with nine points in 30 minutes of action with five boards as Molen and Bleier chipped in with seven points each. On the glass, Bledsoe brought down eight boards tonight for the Crimson and Gray. Meanwhile, Quinnipiac logged four scorers in double-digits as Otieno posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Monroe and Zimmerman tacked on 13 points apiece and Khaden Bennett (Grand Prairie, TX) rounded out the offensive attack with 10 points. Margetson recorded three points, four rebounds and a pair of steals in his return to his former home court at M&T Bank Arena.
 
The Engineers return to Worcester to host Worcester State on Tuesday at 7pm in Harrington Auditorium for their official regular season opener as Quinnipiac (1-1) ventures to St. John's this Saturday to round out its three-game week.