SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 26, 2024) – The Western New England men's basketball team was aided by their three-point shooting on Tuesday night, though their close range would struggle, going just 7/26 from inside the paint as the number five team in NCAA Division III, the Trinity College Bantams, would survive a scare from the Golden Bears, as WNE dropped a 60-57 game.

Records:

• Western New England: 4-3
• No. 5 Trinity College: 5-0

How It Happened:

Five minutes would go by in the game before the Golden Bears would score their first bucket of the game, while Trinity would open with the first 11 points in the game overall to quickly go up on the Golden Bears. Drew Lazarre would heat up early for the Bantams while Will Dorion would pick up a triple, forcing a Western New England timeout. The Golden Bears picked up their first basket of the game just over six minutes into it, when Cody Palazzesi nailed a three while also being fouled, completing the rare four-point play. WNE would get back within six when Luka Vlajkovic would pick up a three for himself that got the Golden Bears nine points on the night, trailing 15-9. The Bantams would be just as successful from deep as WNE, as Paul Ippolito would hit a three to give Trinity a 20-11 lead at the midway point of the half. WNE would get Trinity's lead down to two with 6:55 to play, going on an 11-2 run that saw Matt Houde drop a three while Brian Geitner and Nate Kasper would heat up from downtown. WNE would take their first lead of the game when Geitner picked up a three with 6:22 to play in the half though the lead would quickly go away after Trinity's Paul Jordan would come away with a three of his own. WNE evened the score back up at 25 after a pair of free throws from Vlajkovic before Trinity would score the final four points of the half overall to take a 29-25 first half edge. Western New England made seven field goals in the first half, five of which came from three-point land. Trinity picked up ten field goals, three of which were threes. WNE missed three free throws in the half while Trinity was a perfect 6/6.

Neither team found a bucket in the first two minutes of the second half as the defense of the squads would step up heavily. The Bantams would score the first six points overall of the second half, led by Henry Vetter, who splashed four quick points, seeing Trinity's lead grow back to ten points. The Golden Bears would get back within four after Luka Vlajkovic would put down his second three of the night, though Trinity would quickly answer with one of their own when Jared Berry would connect from the corner that saw TC take a 42-35 lead with 12:28 remaining. Western New England would then produce an 11-0 run that gave the blue and gold a one-point lead again. Brian Geitner would light up the scoreboard with eight points, including two threes, while Cody Palazzesi would drive to the cup to score two, seeing WNE take a 45-44 lead with 7:05 to play. Trinity would pick up the next seven points as the fifth-ranked Bantams continued to be a problem for the Golden Bears, taking a 51-45 lead with 5:13 to play. Vlajkovic would connect on a jumper while also getting fouled, hitting the free throw with 4:07 to play, getting the Golden Bears back within three. The teams would go bucket for bucket down the stretch as Palazzesi and Geitner would contribute. The Golden Bears would be down three, seeing Trinity miss a free throw with 18 seconds to play, giving WNE a chance to tie the game with a three. WNE would call a timeout with five seconds remaining but would fall just short of executing a game-tying three, as Vlajkovic's three-ball would fall off the front of the rim and into the hands of the Bantams, who escaped the Golden Bears with a 60-57 win.

Inside the Lines:

• The Golden Bears knocked down the threes in the game, led by Brian Geitner and Cody Palazzesi, who had three each. Geitner finished the night with 17 points on 4/10 shooting while hitting all six free throws, grabbing four rebounds, and getting an assist. Palazzesi was 5/9 overall from the field while picking up five rebounds.
• Luka Vlajkovic was 4/10 from the floor, 2/5 from deep, while getting one rebound overall.
• Western New England would be out-rebounded 40-29 in the game.
• As a team, the Golden Bears were 43% from the field in the second half, though they shot just 35% for the game. The WNE defense held Trinity to just 37% shooting in the game.
• Drew Lazarre led Trinity with 15 points and 11 rebounds overall.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE remains at home for their first Conference of New England game on Monday, December 2, at 7:30 PM, welcoming Nichols College to the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center.