THE BASICS 

Score: Emerson 93; Wheaton (MA) 76

Records: Emerson Lions (17-6, 10-4 NEWMAC); Wheaton (MA) (9-17, 3-11 NEWMAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. (Brown and Plofker Gym)

Date: February 19, 2022

The Lead: Led by Chad DiCenzo's team-high 17 points, the Lions had 5 players in double figures as they closed out the regular season on Senior Day with a 93-76 victory over Wheaton (MA).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON 

Chad DiCenzo: 17 points & nine rebounds
Jarred Houston: 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists & five blocks
Trevor McLean: 14 points & two assists
James Beckwith: 14 points & five rebounds

 
WHEATON (MA):

Aaron Williams: 30 points & 10 rebounds
Khaled Thaher: 10 points & nine  rebounds
Alex Carlisle: 12 points & six rebounds
Evan Cook: 12 points & four assists

HOW IT HAPPENED `

• Chad DiCenzo would open the scoring for the Lions on the first possession of the game as he drove to the bucket and scored a layup.
• Wheaton's Alex Carlisle would answer with a layup to tie the score at 2-2 before Trevor McLean would drill a three-pointer to give Emerson a 5-2 lead with 18:08 remaining in the first half.
• The next 8 minutes of the half would be back and forth as the teams traded baskets. Wheaton would tie the game twice in this stretch, but were unable to capture a lead.
• The Lions would slowly start to extend their lead when Vince Conn drilled one of his two three-pointers, giving the Lions a four-point lead.
• An Aaron Williams free throw would bring Wheaton back within 3 points, but a layup by Stephen Fabrizio and another three-pointer by Conn would begin a 13-5 run by the Lions that would give them a 38-27 lead at halftime.
• Emerson would continue the momentum into the second half when James Beckwith and McLean hit back-to-back three pointers extending the Lions lead to 44-27.
• The Lions continued to extend their lead when McLean drilled another three-pointer giving the Lions a 20-point cushion.
• Wheaton would put together a 10-5 run to cut into the deficit, but with Emerson shooting 63% from the field and 7-10 from behind the three-point line in the second half, Wheaton would struggle to capture any momentum.
• A DiCenzo free throw would give the Lions a 22-point lead; their largest lead of the game with 3:30 remaining in the game.
• Jarred Houston would capture another double-double and despite 30 points and 10 rebounds from Aaron Williams, Emerson would secure a 93-76 victory on Saturday afternoon.

UP NEXT

• The Lions will enter the NEWMAC tournament as the #3 seed and will face off against the #2 seed Babson in the semifinals on Thursday February 24^th.