Box Score KEENE, N.H.--Sophomore transfer Mike Gelineau scored a team-high 18 points to lead four Western New England scorers in double digits, and junior Gerald McDonald also made an impressive debut with two late free throws among 10 points, as the Golden Bears edged Wheaton-Mass., 81-80, at the Keene State College Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday evening. With the win, the Golden Bears will square off against the host Owls who routed Johnson State, 109-70, in Sunday's title game at 3 p.m. Western New England coach Mike Theulen is a 1980 graduate of Keene State, where he played for his father, Glenn, for four seasons.

McDonald sank two free throws with 13 seconds left in the contest to put WNE up 81-80, and Mike Cannon missed a jump shot with 4 seconds remaining that could have put Wheaton in the lead again. Gelineau secured the win by getting the defensive rebound.

Senior co-captain Musa Elsir added 16 points for WNE, which enjoyed a 45 to 38 rebounding advantage. Freshman Nelson Zayas chipped in 13 points, junior Zack Askew scored 11 and McDonald finished with 10. Askew and Elsir both led the Golden Bears with eight rebounds.

Wheaton's Billy Battaglia led all scorers with 26 points, followed by Mike O'Loughlin with 14, Eddie Capstick had 13 and Cannon, 10. Cannon also paced the Lyons with nine rebounds and Zach Parsons (7 points) snared eight.

Both teams had decent leads in the first half. Western New England went up by 10 points at 23-13 with 10:53 to go after graduate student and co-captain Nick DeFeo (8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point shot. Wheaton then went on an 18-0 run over a 4:28 span to seize its biggest lead at 31-23 at the 6:10 mark. The Golden Bears, however, scored the next eight points--five by Elsir--to tie it at 31-all with 4:31 showing on the clock. The teams traded points before WNE went into the halftime break up 42-39.

In the second half, the teams were never separated by more than a possession until O'Loughlin hit a 3-pointer to give Wheaton a 60-56 lead at the 10:39 mark. The Lyons eventually went up by seven points before the Golden Bears battled back to tie things, 68-all, on a pair of Gelineau free throws with 6:29 left.

Western New England went up by three points on a couple occasions before Battaglia hit a jumper with 22 seconds left to give Wheaton its last lead at 80-79.

The Golden Bears were able to fight through 20 turnovers that led to 24 points for Wheaton. Western New England scored seven points off turnovers.

Western New England will have its home opener on Tuesday against crosstown rival Springfield College in a #Play4Jody non-conference game, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house.