BOSTON, Mass. (February 18, 2026) – Worcester Polytechnic Institute dashed Emerson College's postseason hopes with an 83-75 triumph in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball action on Senior Night at Hank Smith Court at Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gymnasium tonight.

WPI, which clinched the top seed for next week's NEWMAC Tournament with the win, eliminates the postseason hopes for Emerson who are now a game in the loss column behind Clark University in the NEWMAC standings. While the Lions have one game remaining in the regular season, the Cougars capped their regular season slate tonight and thus cannot match the Lions loss total in NEWMAC play.

Junior Justin Molen led four from WPI in double figures with a game-high 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three-point distance, while converting all ten free-throw attempts, to go with four rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. Postgrad Tim Reidy and senior J.R. Newman each contributed 14 points, with Reidy draining 4-of-6 three-pointers to go with three rebounds and three assists, while Newman totaled three boards, three assists and two steals for the Engineers. Junior Nathan Bledsoe rounded out the Engineers in double figures with ten points and five rebounds off the bench.

Armant posted his second-straight 20-point game, leading Emerson with 25 on Senior Night (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce Sports Photography)

Seniors Jacob Armant and Linus Helmhold combined for 45 points to lead Emerson on a night when the College recognized its seven seniors and families prior to the game. Armant scored 19 of his team-high 25 points in the second half, adding four rebounds and three assists, while Helmhold scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half on 6-of-8 shooting, draining both three-point attempts, with six rebounds and two blocked shots. Sophomore Giulio Volonte rounded out Emerson's double-figure scorers with 16 points and a career-high matching eight rebounds off the bench.

WPI outscored Emerson 8-2 over the first four minutes of the game, sparked by a pair of three-pointers from Reidy. The Lions followed with an 8-2 run of their own as Volonte scored the first four points of the run to draw even three minutes later after two free-throws from Armant with 12:53 remaining in the first half.

Three-pointers by senior Matt Morvillo and junior Jack Bleier helped restore WPI's six-point lead (18-12) less than two minutes later. The Engineers added a 9-1 spurt to extend their lead into double-figures (33-21) after a three-point play from Molen with 4:10 to play in the half, while Newman scored the first six points in the stretch.

WPI carried a nine-point cushion (38-29) into halftime and then Emerson rallied to within three (40-37) less than three minutes into the second half after back-to-back triples from Armant and Volonte. The Engineers answered by scoring five of six points over the next three minutes to reclaim an 11-point advantage (52-41) after a Bledsoe layup with 13:37 to play.

Emerson drew back within four (57-53) after a three-pointer from senior Brendan McNamara midway through the half. After WPI had stretched its lead back to 12 (66-54) on a Molen layup with 7:50 on the clock, the Lions scored the next nine points, including six from Armant, to close within a possession (66-63) with six minutes to play.

WPI held there and did not allow the hosts any closer with Reidy canning a three with two minutes to play to give the Engineers a seven-point lead (79-72) with 2:12 on the clock. The Engineers sealed it from the free-throw line from there.

Noteworthy

• Prior to the game, Emerson recognized its seven seniors: Armant, Helmhold, McNamara, Jeff Tan and postgrad Asher Gardiner, as well as managers Manny Fernandes, '26 and Kelly Chin, '26 for their efforts with the program over the last four years.
• Armant surpassed the 20-point mark for the second-straight game and fifth time this season overall (eighth career), scoring in double-figures for the 14^th game (44^th career).
• Volonte reached double-figures for the fourth-straight game and fifth time in his career overall.
• Helmhold posted his fifth 20-point game of the season (8^th career), reaching double figures for the 14^th time (32^nd career).
• Emerson finished with a 37-33 rebounding edge, posting an 11-5 advantage in second chance points, but WPI finished shooting 50-percent from the floor, including 11-for-25 (44%) from three-point distance, connecting on 58.3% of its shots in the second half, including 5-of-9 (55.6%) from deep.
• The Lions made 41.7% of their shots from the floor, including 48.5% in the second half in which they buried 7-of-13 three-pointers (53.8%).

Up Next
Emerson (9-15, 5-10 NEWMAC) closes out its 2025-26 season on Saturday when it visits Springfield College for a NEWMAC matchup at 1 p.m. WPI (20-4, 13-2 NEWMAC) hosts Wheaton College on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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