Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Graduate student Nick DeFeo scored a game-high-tying 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and senior Musa Elsir added seven points and eight rebounds, in the duo's last home appearance as the host Western New England University men's basketball team was dealt a 66-51 loss at the hands of Wentworth Institute of Technology on Wednesday at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house.

John-Michael Fragnoli scored 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting for the Leopards, who even their overall record to 11-11 on the season and improve to 9-6 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Ray Bessette added 12 points and Nico Donato (8 points, 3 steals) dished five of the team's 11 assists.

Western New England jumped out to a 5-0 lead on a Mike Gelineau layup and three-point play from junior Zack Askew (9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists). A dunk by Askew helped ignite a 10-7 spurt to push the Western New England lead to eight points at 15-7 with 13 minutes and 59 seconds left. That marked the Golden Bears' biggest advantage of the night.

But Wentworth ended the half by outscoring WNE 28-13 to go into the locker room up 35-28. The Golden Bears were able to close within 33-28 on back-to-back treys from junior Luis Agrait (8 points, 2 steals) and DeFeo (7 rebounds, 3 assists) after trailing by 13 points.

But that would be the closest WNE could get the rest of the way as Wentworth built as much as a 15-point lead in the second half, preventing the Golden Bears from getting within single digits.

The Leopards outscored the Golden Bears at the free throw line, 24-10, and also enjoyed a 44-33 rebounding advantage. Jason Ganley led all players with nine rebounds and Ian Therriault added seven for Wentworth.

Western New England returns to action at 3 p.m. Saturday against Eastern Nazarene College on the road in Quincy.

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