Box Score WORCESTER -- Jack Bleier (Victor, NY) tallied a pair of baskets in the final 1:14 and WPI went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the closing 20 seconds as the Engineers held off Wheaton 77-72 to wrap up NEWMAC men's basketball regular season play Saturday afternoon inside Harrington Auditorium.
 
The Crimson and Gray, who have now won a season-best six consecutive games and are ranked 24th in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 and 26th in the latest Division III NPI, improve to 21-14 overall and 13-2 in conference play. Wheaton moves to 15-10 overall and 8-8 in NEWMAC action.
 
Both teams will be on the same side of the bracket for next week's NEWMAC Tournament, as top-seeded WPI will host a semifinal on Thursday at 7pm inside Harrington Auditorium, while fourth-seed Wheaton welcomes fifth-seed Springfield in a quarterfinal matchup Tuesday at 7pm.
 
Prior to tipoff, WPI honored its seniors and graduate students in a pregame Senior Day ceremony, recognizing J.R. Newman (Havertown, PA), Matt Morvillo (Bedford, MA), Adam Patterson (New York, NY), Nicholas Margetson (Baldwin, NY), and Tim Reidy (Needham, MA) for their commitment and impact on the program.
 
WPI sported five players in double figures in scoring, paced by Reidy, who notched 14 points to go along with a game-best three steals. Morvillo chipped in 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting effort from the floor and added six rebounds, while Nathan Bledsoe (San Antonio, TX) finished with 12 points. Bleier contributed 11 and Newman added 10.
 
The Engineers displayed impressive balance as all seven scorers registered between eight and 14 points, highlighted by Justin Molen (Newark, DE), who flirted with a triple-double with nine points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Margetson totaled eight points. As a team, the hosts shot 45.9% from the field, dished out 20 assists, and committed just four turnovers - their lowest total of the season.
 
Wheaton leaned heavily on Dimetri Iafrate (Johnston, RI), who erupted for a game-high and career-tying best 29 points on an efficient 12-of-17 shooting performance. Eoin Morrissey (Watertown, MA) contributed 13 points and grabbed a game-best 11 rebounds, while Tristan Herry (East Taunton, MA) chipped in with 11 points. The Lyons shot 52.0% from the floor and held a 33-27 rebounding edge, but 15 turnovers and WPI's late free-throw execution ultimately proved costly down the stretch.
 
Wheaton carried a narrow 38-36 lead into the break after Iafrate capped an energetic opening 20 minutes with a three-pointer following an offensive rebound just before the buzzer. The junior poured in 18 first-half points as the Lyons shot 60 percent from the floor in the stanza, while Morrissey added timely scoring and activity on the glass.
 
WPI created separation over the opening 15 minutes of the second half by stringing together a pair of key runs that erased Wheaton's halftime edge. A Bledsoe three and interior finish from Morvillo ignited an early push, and the Engineers later used a 10-4 stretch fueled by a Newman triple and transition baskets from Reidy to build a multi-possession lead. Wheaton responded behind a personal surge from Iafrate to pull the Lyons even, setting up the tight finish down the stretch.
 
The teams traded baskets over the final five minutes, with Wheaton briefly tying the game on a jumper by Morrissey before WPI answered with another spurt. Bleier's back-to-back baskets inside the final 1:14 highlighted the decisive sequence, and the Engineers closed the contest at the line as Bledsoe and Reidy combined to convert four straight free throws in the final seconds to cap the 77-72 victory.