WORCESTER – Westfield State University’s Marcus Collins (Cambridge, Mass.) recorded a double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds to help the visiting Owls to a 97-92 victory over the Lancers of Worcester State University Saturday afternoon in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup.
Marcus Collins scored a game-high 27 points in the Owls win over the Lancers Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State University Sports)
Westfield State (11-14, 5-7 MASCAC) opened the game with an 8-0 run until Worcester State’s (3-22, 2-10 MASCAC) Shaun McCarthy (Oxford, Mass.) made a layup to break the Lancers’ board. Westfield State’s Anthony Reynolds (Springfield, Mass.) responded with seven consecutive points to give the visitors a 13-point advantage (15-2). With 12:27 on the clock, Worcester State’s Chris Cardoso (Jamaica Plains, Mass.) ignited a 12-2 run with a triple, which made it a 3-point game with 8:14 on the clock. The teams battled until Westfield’s Austin Joseph (Rockland, Mass.) made a trey with 5:39 on the clock, leading to a 7-0 run for the Owls. Westfield State went into the intermission ahead 50-39 succeeding a Will Waktins Jr. (Southbridge, Mass.) three with a second on the clock.
Westfield maintained a 10+ lead until Worcester State’s Cal Howes (Maynard, Mass.) made back-to-back three’s to cut the Owls’ lead to seven (59-52) with 15:52 on the clock. Worcester State chipped away at the Owls lead and got within six twice, once with a Cardoso free throw (66-60), and another after a Watkins jumper (68-62). The Owls pushed their lead back to 10 with 11:20 on the clock with a Moody Bey (Springfield, Mass.) free throw. A McCarthy and-one got the Lancers within 10 once again and did not allow the Owls to attain a greater lead than that again until there as 6:50 remaining on the clock, forcing a Worcester timeout. Out of the timeout, Worcester State put up eight consecutive points to make it a 2-point game with 4:52 to go. A Watkins three with 4:16 on the clock made it a 1-point game. With 2:03 remaining in the game, Worcester State’s Howes stole the ball and rifled the ball up the court for Cardoso to dunk and knot the score at 92-92. Worcester State struggled to score and Westfield State went 5-for-6 on free throws over the next two minutes, leaving the Lancers behind, 97-92.
In addition to Collins’ double-double (27 points, 12 rebounds), Reynolds also posted double-double figures of 17 points and 14 rebounds (7 offensive).
Bey and Peter Mafo (Lynn, Mass.) also put up double figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Bey and Joseph each had four steals in the win.
Worcester State’s offense was led by Watkins who had 26 points, going 8-for-17 from the field and 5-for-11 from beyond the arc.
McCarthy put up 23 points and eight rebound with three assists and a steal. Howes added in 17 points with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Cardoso recorded up 14 points and six assists.
Worcester State shot 47.8% from the field (32-67), 33.3% from 3-point range (9-27, and 82.6% from the charity stripe (19-23). Westfield went 30-80 (37.5%) from the field and 7-for-23 (30.4%) from beyond the arc.
Westfield State scored 28 points off the Lancers’ 23 turnovers. The Owls outrebounded Worcester State, 54-39.
Westfield State earns the #5 seed in the MASCAC tournament and will open with the first round of the league tournament on Tuesday (Feb. 20), as they travel to #4 Fitchburg State for a 7 p.m. game. The Lancers’ season comes to an end with a 3-22 overall record and a 2-10 league record. – Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
