The two teams exchanged seven-point leads in the first half with Springfield (10-13, 4-6 NEWMAC) eventually taking a 34-27 advantage into the break. Senior co-captain Mike DeCesar (Acton, Mass.) hit all four of his three-point attempts for 14 points in the opening period, while Yvon netted 10.
Sophomore Greg Bush (East Islip, N.Y.) and first-year Zach Etten (Hollis, N.H.) each scored four early points in the second half, helping Babson (9-14, 3-7 NEWMAC) pull to within two at 38-36 with 16 minutes left to play. However, Springfield responded with a 9-2 run over the next two and a half minutes to increase its advantage to 47-38 with 13:24 remaining. Yvon scored five points during the spurt, including one of his three trifectas, while senior Brian Riley (Worcester, Mass.) capped off the run with a conventional three-point play.
Babson got to within four points five times in the final nine minutes of regulation, including a 67-63 deficit with 43 seconds remaining, but Springfield responded with clutch scores each time. Junior Anthony Pizzo (Clifton Park, N.Y.) sank two foul shots with 38 seconds left to push Springfield’s edge back to six, 69-63, and Yvon and junior Damian Farley (Natick, Mass.) each added free throws in the closing seconds to seal the 71-64 victory.
Yvon shot 6-for-17 from the field and 13-for-14 from the line for 28 points, while DeCesar finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Riley added 11 points and six boards, and Farley chipped in with nine points and nine caroms. The Pride shot a combined 22-for-30 from the foul line in the contest, while Babson shot only 11 free throw attempts, hitting seven.
Senior captain Brian Parsons (Queensbury, N.Y.) finished with 11 points to lead Babson, while Etten, sophomore David Votta (Roswell, Ga.), first-year Norm de Silva (Dartmouth, Mass.), and sophomore Chris Bradley (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) each added nine points. Bradley just missed his first double-double of the season, as he collected a career-high 10 rebounds.