WESTFIELD – Amherst College connected on eight of its first nine three point tries in the first half, and never looked back, as the Mammoths outpaced Westfield State, 84-48 in a non-conference men’s basketball game at the Woodward Center on Monday night.
Amherst (3-0) led 52-20 at the half while shooting 60.6 percent from the floor and 61 percent from three point range. The Mammoths held the Owls to 18.5 percent (5-27) shooting from the floor in the first half, and just 21.2 percent for the game.
Westfield State’s Isaiah Headley, a former Westfield High Bomber, drives to the hoop against Amherst College Monday. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State University Sports)
The Mammoths placed three players in double figures in scoring, led by 18 points from senior guard Johnny McCarthy (Noble and Greenough/Medfield, Mass.), while Michael Riopel (Broadwater/Nassawadox, Va.) finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds and three assists. Tim MCarthy (Roxbury Latin/Medfield, Mass.) added 10 points off the bench, connecting on 3 of 4 three point tries.
Westfield State (2-2) was led by 11 points and five rebounds from Marcus Collins (Cambridge Rindge and Latin/Cambridge, Mass.) in 22 minutes of play. Senior guard Austin Joseph (Cardinal Spelman/Rockland, Mass.) added 10 points with 2 of 3 shooting from behind the arc, and Isaiah Headley (Westfield HS/Springfield, Mass.) added eight points for the Owls.
Westfield State will break for Thanksgiving before playing in the Sig Makofski tournament at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. on Saturday and Sunday. Westfield will meet Farleigh Dickinson (N.J.) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Amherst, which was receiving votes in the D3Hoops.com national poll, will travel to Emerson College on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. tip. – Courtesy of Westfield State Sports
