THE BASICS 

Score: Emerson 81, Wheaton (Mass.) 72

Records: Emerson Lions (10-4,, 3-2 NEWMAC) ; Wheaton (Mass.) Lyons (5-10, 0-4 NEWMAC)

Location: Norton, Mass. (Emerson Gymnasium)

Date: January 19, 2022

The Lead: Paced by senior Jarred Houston's double-double of 28 points and 20 boards, the Emerson men's basketball team locked up their second consecutive NEWMAC victory in a 81-72 win out at Wheaton (Mass.) on Wednesday night. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON

Houston: 28 points, 20 rebounds, steal & four blocks
Zach Waterhouse: 15 points
Max Davis: 10 points 
James Beckwith: seven assists 

WHEATON (MA)

Aaron Williams: 16 points
Marckenley Lima: 14 points & five assists
Khaled Turner: 11 points & nine rebounds
Evan Cook & Alex Carlisle: 11 points 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Emerson trailed by as much as eight through the opening four minutes of the first half, but with the help of eight points from Davis within a 13-4 spurt, the Lions pushed ahead 17-15 and never trailed through the remaining 13 minutes. 
• The Lions were able to hold a slim lead over the Lyons as the hosts inched within a pair at 31-29 after Carlisle put up a layup at 3:53. Starting on Emerson's next possession, a layup from junior James Beckwith began what would become a 7-0 run to extend the lead into double-digits at 40-29.
• By half's end, Emerson found themselves up 11 with the score at 42-31 as Houston paced the Lions with a team-best 13 points and 11 boards. 
• The second half leaned in Wheaton's direction as the host Lyons outscored Emerson 16-7 through the opening half of the frame. 
• Emerson maintained a double-figure edge over Wheaton at 11 to begin the second, but watched that lead dwindle all the way down to two. After Lima converted the layup, Carlisle knocked down the triple that put the hosts ahead by one for the first time since the first half. 
• Waterhouse canned a triple on the other end to lift Emerson back on top and began a 8-0 run that gave the Lions a seven-point edge at 59-52. The Lions' kept the offense rolling and kept the Lyons to within at least five until another Waterhouse three sparked a 9-0 streak to put their lead back into double-digits at 13. 
• Down the stretch, the biggest lead Emerson held was at 14, which was erased by a 6-0 Wheaton run in the final three minutes to get the Lyons within eight. Despite the hosts inching within single digits on several occasions, Emerson held on and sealed the 81-72 win at the free throw stripe. 

UP NEXT

• Emerson heads out across town on Saturday, January 22nd with a 2:00 p.m. clash with MIT.