Box Score THE BASICS
Score: Springfield 86, Emerson 79
Records: Emerson Lions (8-7, 3-1 NEWMAC) ; Springfield Pride (5-10, 2-2 NEWMAC)
Location: Springfield, Mass. (Blake Arena)
Date: Saturday, January 12, 2019
The Lead: Junior Jack O'Connor (Newport, R.I.) poured a team-best 24 points for the Lions as the Emerson men's basketball team was handed its first NEWMAC setback in an 86-79 setback to Springfield on Saturday afternoon.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- O'Connor anchored Emerson with 24 points and nine boards, while both senior Geoffrey Gray (Newton, Mass.) and freshman Zach Waterhouse (Hampton, N.H.) each tallied 16 apiece.
- Freshman Jarred Houston (Norwood, Mass.) chipped in 11 points, six point along with five assists.
- Jake Ross powered Springfield with 42 points as he connected on 15-of-24 attempts to go alongside five steals and four boards.
- Heath Post followed with 16 points and grabbed a game-high 12 boards and six assists.
- Emerson outshot Springfield on the floor, connecting with 57% of its shots to Springfield's 51%.
- The Pride were able to turn 15 Lions turnovers into 28 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ross cashed in Springfield's first 10 points to help the hosts jump out to a 10-2 lead just 2:39 into regulation.
- Emerson answered with an 8-0 spurt that was capped off a corner triple by freshman Trevor McLean (Boston, Mass.) at 14:26 to pull the Lions with a pair (15-13).
- Springfield responded with an 8-0 streak of their own and pushed its lead into double figures (23-13) following a deep bucket by Jake Jacobson.
- The visitors came off a timeout piecing together an 11-2 burst, fueled by a pair of O'Connor triples to make it a 39-37 game with 1:52 on the clock.
- A trifecta by Trey Witter and inside finish by Deonte Sandifer to grab the 44-37 edge at the break.
- McLean hauled in an offensive board and knocked in a cutback to make it a 47-46 contest, but Springfield would respond with a 9-3 push (56-49).
- With 10:07 in regulation, Waterhouse drained a bucket to make it a 58-53 game before Ross nailed a triple to put the hosts ahead by nine (66-57).
- Over the following 49 seconds, an O'Connor three and a trio of Waterhouse free throws pushed Emerson with three (66-63) before the freshman drew an and-one to inch the Lions one (69-68).
- Ross again became free from deep and connected for another three with the game standing at 77-73.
- A pair of shots at the charity line gave Springfield a little room (81-75) as he and Post each hit free throws with under 10 ticks on the clock to wrap the Emerson loss.
UP NEXT
- Emerson continues road conference play at WPI on Wednesday, January 16 at 8:00 p.m.
- Springfield travels to MIT on Wednesday with a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
STAY LIVE WITH THE LIONS
