Statistics
Senior Day Ceremony Photos

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Western New England University saw an 11-point, 2nd-half cushion reduced to one possession on multiple occasions but managed to hold on for an 82-77 decision against the University of New England on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 5) at Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball action.

The sides traded substantial swings for more than 25 minutes, essentially capped by the Golden Bears' netting three triples in less than two minutes to increase a 55-51 spread to 64-53 with 10:11 remaining. Brian Geitner's first two baskets of the contest came in that spurt.

The Nor'easters kept grinding, though, as an Alex Kravchuk three-pointer trimmed it to 66-60 with 8:38 on the clock, and six unanswered free throws reduced it to 72-68 with 3:37 left. While another by Geitner from long distance made it 78-69, UNE got within three (78-75) at the 1:23 mark after consecutive hoops from Kravchuk and then two by Avery DeBrito.

Following an exchange of freebies (80-77), the hosts forced a WNEU turnover with 45 seconds showing. However, after giving it right back, Jake Harrison wrapped his 9-for-9 day at the line with two more to pad the Golden Bear cushion (82-77) with 20 ticks left.

Harrison guided Western New England (10-9, 8-5 CCC) with 20 points, and Steevens Phelimond contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. Geitner supplied 12 points, as did Tim Restall, who secured 12 boards to lead the 47-33 advantage on the glass. The Golden Bear overcame 16 turnovers -- twice as many as their opponent -- with the help of a 12-point scoring edge from three-point land, going 8-for-26.

For the Nor'easters (4-17, 3-11 CCC), Kravchuk led the team with eight rebounds and scored a game-high 24 points, which included all 12 tries at the charity stripe. Anthony Senesombath notched a personal best with 18 points, while DeBrito and Drake Gavin combined evenly for 27 points (14 and 13) and 14 caroms.

Senesombath provided an early spark for UNE, accounting for half of the team's first 22 points. The biggest edge for the hosts came at 9-4, before nine in-a-row by WNEU (13-9), seven straight for the Nor'easters (16-13), and a 14-2 stretch by the Golden Bears established the largest 1st-half spread for the visitors (29-20). Gavin tallied eight as UNE flipped it back (35-31) with a 15-2 run, only to see six by Phelimond as part of a 10-2 span tip WNEU in front (41-37) at the midway mark.

The Nor'easters struck for the initial five in the 2nd to regain the lead (42-41), but that was the final time, as five more from Phelimond fueled 10 unanswered by the Golden Bears (51-42).

UNE is slated to visit Suffolk University on Tuesday.