CHESTNUT HILL, MA – Freshman forward Nikalus Oliver (Pembroke Pines, FL) scored 12 points as one of five players to net double figures for the Lesley University men's basketball team in a 71-62 victory over host Wheelock College this evening in a New England Collegiate Conference contest on Brunelli Court on the campus of Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA. The Lynx improve to 8-16 overall and 6-9 in NECC play, while the Wildcats fall to 3-20 and 2-13.
The Lesley defense forced Wheelock into 18 turnovers and held the home team to just 39.3% (22-56) shooting from the floor.
Senior forward Bashir Hudson (Jamaica Plain, MA) sank the first of two free throws at the 4:02 mark of the second half for the Wildcats to set a school record for points in a season, passing the old mark of 453, formerly held by Sherard Robbins (2007-10) for the 2009-10 campaign.
The Lynx owned a 30-28 halftime lead, but pulled away from Wheelock with a 21-7 run, paced by five points each from Oliver and senior guard Matt Gibson (Quincy, MA), to take a 51-35 advantage with 10:34 left in the contest. Junior forward Valentine Edobor (Dorchester, MA) later made a layup to give Lesley a 61-45 cushion with three minutes remaining in the game, before the Wildcats reeled off eight straight points in 61 seconds, including five from Hudson, to cut the deficit to 61-53 with 1:59 showing on the second half clock. The Lynx held off the Wheelock charge for the remainder of the game to come away with the win.
Freshman guard Anthony Mattocks (Sarasota, FL) drained a three-pointer just under six minutes into the game to give the visitors an early 13-8 margin, but the Wildcats responded with eight unanswered points, capped by a layup from junior forward Andrew Kirkman (Dartmouth, MA) to take their largest lead of the night at 16-13 with 11:19 to play in the opening half. Wheelock later maintained an 18-15 lead at the 10:28 mark, before Lesley put together an 11-3 burst to take a 26-21 lead with 4:43 to go in the half. Junior forward Paul Coucci (Dartmouth, MA) knocked down a three-pointer with 24 ticks left in the period to pull the Wildcats to within 30-28 before heading into the locker rooms.
Oliver was 5-8 from the floor and added nine rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot in 25 minutes for the Lynx, while sophomore guard Justin Rosa (East Brunswick, NJ) chipped in with 12 points, six boards, a steal and a game-high six assists. Gibson finished with 11 points, including a 4-4 effort from the free throw line in addition to four rebounds, three assists and a steal and Mattocks contributed with 10 points, three rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.
Hudson led Wheelock with a game-high 25 points and 12 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the season to go with an assist, a steal and a blocked shot. Coucci ended the evening with 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists, while senior guard Daniel Higgins (Wakefield, MA) matched his personal-best with five assists and added five points and three rebounds.
The Wildcats will be in action again on Saturday, February 16 when they travel to New London, CT for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off with NECC foe Mitchell College, while Lesley hosts Southern Vermont College in its season finale on the same day at 8:30 p.m. at Buckingham, Browne and Nichols.