Szklarz put the Cougars up 66-63 with a pair of free throws with just under two minutes remaining. After both teams missed jump shots, WPI’s Ryan Cain (Webster, Mass.) nailed two free throws with 50 seconds remaining to cut the lead to one. After a turnover on the inbounds pass, Cain was fouled again and canned two more free throws with 35.3 seconds remaining to put the Engineers up 67-66. After Szklarz’s game-winning layup, Clark converted four more free throws in the final four seconds to seal the victory.
Clark (5-6, 1-1 NEWMAC) took a 37-26 lead in the locker room at halftime after connecting on 51.9% of its field goal attempts in the first half. Dominque Beck (Brockton, Mass.) added 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds as Clark bounced back after a home loss to Wheaton during the first night of NEWMAC action Thursday evening.
Cain paced WPI (10-1, 1-1 NEWMAC) with 21 points, including connecting on 11 of 12 free throw attempts. Ryan Flynn (Hamilton, Mass.) chipped in with 14 points and Antoine Coleman (Everett, Mass.) scored all 11 points in the second half after dodging foul trouble in the first half. Coleman led all Engineers with eight rebounds on the afternoon.
Both teams will return to action on Tuesday when WPI hosts MIT and Clark travels to Babson.
Newspaper Box Score Clark vs WPI 1/7/05 2:00pm at Worcester, MA At Worcester, MA CLARK 72, WPI 67 CLARK (5-6, 1-1) Cory Szklarz 7-16 9-9 25; Dominique Beck 7-13 1-2 15; Asher Cowan 2-7 0-0 6; DJ Brinn 2-5 0-0 6; Tim Dutille 1-2 3-4 5; Alfred Thomas 1-3 2-2 5; Godfrey Duncan 2-4 0-0 4; Pat Landers 1-4 1-3 4; Pat Ochoa 1-2 0-0 2; Peter Normandin 0-0 0-0 0; Byron Roberts 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-58 16-20 72. WPI (10-1, 1-1) Ryan Cain 4-8 11-12 21; Ryan Flynn 3-14 8-11 14; Antoine Coleman 5-8 1-3 11; Ryan Bourque 4-7 0-1 8; Mike Prestileo 1-7 0-0 3; Steve Furber 1-2 0-0 2; Sean Ivey 1-1 0-0 2; James Marois 1-1 0-0 2; Brett Dickson 0-2 2-2 2; Brian Steele 1-2 0-0 2; Kevin Barrett 0-0 0-0 0; NT Izuchi 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 22-29 67. Clark......................... 37 35 - 72 WPI........................... 26 41 - 67 3-point goals-Clark 8-26 (DJ Brinn 2-5; Cory Szklarz 2-7; Asher Cowan 2-6; Pat Landers 1-2; Alfred Thomas 1-2; Byron Roberts 0-1; Pat Ochoa 0-1; Dominique Beck 0-2), WPI 3-15 (Ryan Cain 2-4; Mike Prestileo 1-3; Antoine Coleman 0-1; Steve Furber 0-1; Brett Dickson 0-1; Brian Steele 0-1; Ryan Flynn 0-4). Fouled out--Clark-Dominique Beck, WPI-None. Rebounds-Clark 37 (Dominique Beck 10), WPI 36 (Antoine Coleman 8). Assists-Clark 9 (Cory Szklarz 2; DJ Brinn 2; Godfrey Duncan 2), WPI 10 (Ryan Flynn 5). Total fouls-Clark 26, WPI 18. A-350