Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Massâ€"Junior center Zack Askew scored a season-high 19 points to lead all scorers, but the Western New England University men's basketball team lost a nail biter, 60-58, to the University of New England (4-9 overall, 2-4 CCC) in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house on Tuesday evening.
 
With 2.1 seconds left in the game, the Golden Bears inbounded from under their own basket with a chance to send it to overtime or win it in regulation with a three-pointer. Sophomore Mike Gelineau (14 points) took two dribbles and launched a shot towards the basket, but time ran out before his release.
 
Senior co-captain Musa Elsir (6 points) grabbed a game-best nine rebounds and freshman Nelson Zayas (4 rebounds) added eight points to the Golden Bears' offensive effort.
 
The Golden Bears' missed several good scoring chances, and the Nor'easters capitalized on their misfortune. After surrendering a three-pointer, the Golden Bears used a strong dribble penetration to overcome the Nor'easters' defensive perimeter pressure. Co-captain Nick DeFeo (5 assists, 4 rebounds) drove to the hole, going up for the shot off-balanced, and before being blocked, dished it off to freshman Lucien Fortier (5 points) who finished with a layup. This cut the Nor'easters' lead to 43-40 at 14 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game.
 
With the Nor'easters holding a 53-49 lead with just under eight minutes left, the Golden Bears' found their big man, Askew, and he delivered with three straight baskets and tantalizing defense, protecting his net. Askew tied the game at 53 apiece with a hard take to the hole over the Nor'easters' defender.
 
Without hesitation, the Golden Bears (3-10, 1-5) went back to Askew in the post, letting him work inside, using every post-move in his arsenal. He took the ball on isolation and drew a foulâ€"sending him to the line, where he knocked down his fifth straight point. The Nor'easters answered with a three-point play from Devin Thompson, who was fouled shooting a long two-pointer, giving them a 59-55 lead with 3:22 on the clock.
 
The Golden Bears stayed within reach and Askew dropped in two shots from the charity stripe to make it 60-58 with 72 seconds left.

The opening half featured a seesaw of scoring, with no team jumping out in front by more than four points. It wasn't a defensive quagmire, but both teams were finding their scorers and converting on open chances. For the 40 minutes, UNE and WNE combined for eight ties and nine lead changes.
 
The Golden Bears shot 38.5 percent from the field, and the Nor'easters shot 44.0 percent, but the half ended, 33-32, in favor of UNE.

The Nor'easters took advantage of 15 WNE turnovers to score 23 points while the Golden Bears' hustle on the glass, 39-27, produced 16 second-chance points to stay close.
 
CJ Autry scored 16 points and Devin Thompson added 15 points for the Nor'easters. Autry led the team with six rebounds.

Western New England travels to Wentworth on Thursday for another CCC encounter at 7:30 p.m.