Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Graduate co-captain Nick DeFeo nailed eight 3-pointers for a game- and career-high-tying 24 points to lead the Western New England University men's basketball team past Curry College, 65-56, at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup on Saturday. With the win, the host Golden Bears sweep a regular-season series from the Colonels for the first time in six years to improve to 8-11 overall and even their CCC slate at 6-6. Curry drops to 4-15 and 2-10 in the conference.

Sophomore Mike Gelineau added 18 points and senior co-captain Musa Elsir chipped in 11 for Western New England. Junior Zack Askew notched six points and he pulled down 11 rebounds.

Antonio Jonesâ€"the CCC's leading scorerâ€"scored a team-high 21 points for the Colonels, who got a double-double out of Matt Russell with 12 points and game-best 13 rebounds and James Pina had 11 points. Russell's stat line also included three blocked shots and two steals.
 
Curry came out in a zone trap, which kept the Golden Bears' scorers out of the paint, and made them chuck up long three-pointers. The Colonels' effort on defense transferred over to the offensive side, resulting in a 13-2 run. Elsir's jumper in the paint put the Golden Bears on the scoreboard for the first time 6 minutes and 22 seconds after the opening tip.
 
The Golden Bears began to exploit Curry's zone defense, using dribble penetration and kick outs to find the open shooters on the wings. After getting the ball on the inside, Elsir drew a double team and found Askew on the adjacent block for the quick layup. On the following possession, Askew grabbed the ball in the postâ€"spun, and wiggled around his defender to gain inside position and drop in another basket. This cut the Colonels' lead to 13-6 at the 11:23 mark.
 
After struggling from deep to start the game, the Golden Bears found their stroke, led by DeFeo who drilled a pair of treys. His secondâ€"coming from straight awayâ€"cut the Curry lead to three points, 15-12 at 8:13.
 
Following a string of broken plays by the Golden Bears, DeFeo spotted up outside and knocked down another 3ball, which tied the game at 15 apiece. Then, DeFeo, on the next possession drilled his fourth three of the half, giving the Golden Bears the lead at 18-15 with 6:15 to go before the half.
 
With 1:55 left in the half, DeFeo pulled up from downtown again, extending the Golden Bears' lead to 30-24. But it didn't end there for DeFeo, with 49 seconds left on the clock, junior Luis Agrait (5 assists, 3 points) found him up top, where he dropped his sixth three of the half. DeFeo had 18 first-half points. The Golden Bears closed out the first half on top, 35-26, recovering from a nine-point deficit. They improved their offensive flow, breaking Curry's trap defense and exposing holes inside on the block.
 
Western New England began attacking the basket in the second half, finding space from the corners. Gelineau got the ball in the corner, beat his man on the baseline and soared to the basket, finishing with a finger roll with 17:37 left.
 
DeFeo stripped his man on a drive to create a turnover, and freshman Nelson Zayas pushed the ball up the floor, kicking it out to DeFeo, who was waiting on the three-point line. He spotted up, and knocked down his first three of the second half, and seventh overall.
 
Opening the second half on a 13-5 run, the Golden Bears continued to control the momentum of the game. They forced Curry to take ill-advised shots and took them out of their comfort zone.
 
Many of the Golden Bears' offensive spurts were possible because of smooth ball movement. WNE totaled 21 assists in the game and only turned the ball over 12 times. DeFeo led all players with seven assists.
 
DeFeo nailed another trey to give the Golden Bears a 20-point lead with just under 13 minutes left in the game.
 
The Golden Bears kept shutting down the Colonels' late game pushes with physical play and explosive defense on the inside. Askew's ability to control the boards, aided the Golden Bears' offensive and defensive spurts.
 
Curry managed to cut the Golden Bears' lead to six with one minute remaining, but Gelineau sank a three with 23 seconds remaining to seal the game at 65-56.  
 
The Golden Bears shot 41.4 percent from the field, knocking down 24-of-58 shots, while Curry went 21-for-52, resulting in 39.6 percent. Western New England made 14 of 35 three-point field goals, both believed to be single-game school records. DeFeo's eight treys are believed to be the second-most in program history.

Western New England will host Gordon College on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. CCC tilt.

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