Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine (January 4, 2025) –  Tim Restall poured in 26 points while the Western New England men's basketball team survived a late comeback from the Nor'easters of the University of New England after Brian Geitner would sink his lone three of the game with just over a minute left to play, giving the Golden Bears an 82-73 Conference of New England victory on Saturday afternoon.

Records:

• Western New England: 7-3, 3-0 CNE
• University of New England: 4-6, 2-1 CNE

How it Happened:

Coming off a near one-month hiatus of winter break, the Western New England men's basketball team opened their 2025 portion of their schedule at the University of New England and would score the first basket of the game when Tim Restall would get to the rim and put in a layup, giving Western New England a quick 2-0 lead. The Nor'easters would quickly come up with a response to take their first lead of the game when UNE's leading scorer Adam Lux would knock down a triple. The game would stay close through the first five minutes of the game as the home team would lead WNE 10-9. The Golden Bears would be sparked with a layup plus a foul shot from Brian Geitner for his first three points of the afternoon. Cody Palazzesi would give the Golden Bears a 12-10 lead with still 14:29 to play in the opening half on a driving layup. Nate Kasper had the next four points for Western New England, but not before UNE's Zach Boulay would drop a three as Western New England recorded a three-point lead with 13 minutes to play. That lead would increase to as many as seven for WNE with 10:51 to go as the Golden Bears would go on a quick 6-0 lead to take a 24-17 advantage. Both Restall and Palazzesi would be in on the scoring again for the Golden Bears. UNE would keep the game close, never letting the Golden Bears take a lead bigger than seven points, which the Golden Bears held multiple times throughout the first half. UNE would drop the seven-point lead down to four before the blue and gold would strike again for three more points to increase their lead to 37-30 with 3:05 to go. Western New England would have a seven-point lead with 28 seconds to play in the half after Tim Restall continued his dominance on the glass, picking up 14 first-half points, though a late triple from UNE would set Western New England ahead 41-37 at the break. The Golden Bears shot 47% overall from the field in the half, though they went 0/9 from distance. UNE cashed in five threes and shot an even 40% overall.

It would take UNE all of 1:28 to begin the second half to tie the game as the Nor'easters would go on a quick 6-2 run to open the half to even the score at 43. Western New England's defense would quickly step up from there, holding UNE off the scoreboard for over three minutes while converting on another 6-0 run, guided by Restall and Geitner, as the two continued to work in double figures in scoring. Following an eight-point lead, Western New England's largest of the game, UNE would connect on the next six points to get back within two. Jack Pyzynski would nail his second three of the game for the Nor'easters to cap off the run. Luka Vlajkovic would have Western New England's first three of the game on an assist from Matt House with 13:08 to play in the second half, which gave the Golden Bears a 54-49 lead. UNE would get back within a point again until the Golden Bears would begin to pull away. Vlajkovic would connect from outside for the second time in the half while both Kasper and Hode would pick up points that gave the Golden Bears a 61-53 lead with 10:40 to play. The Western New England lead would get to double digits for the first time in the game after Cody Palazzesi would hit a pair of free throws. After getting back within seven, UNE would begin to fall short from the field while Western New England turned up their offensive pressure and would build their largest lead of the game, 14 points. Tim Restall continued to dominate the game, grabbing 26 points with 5:23 to play, which gave the Golden Bears a 75-61 lead. The Nor'easters would not go away quietly, however, making a late run at Western New England, dropping their lead down back to seven with 2:08 remaining. UNE would score three points on their next possession after Adam Lux would drive to the hoop, score, and get fouled, converting on the free throw to put the Nor'easters behind by just four with 1:29 to go. The Golden Bears would get a clutch triple on their next possession by Brian Geitner to end UNE's run and seal the game for the blue and gold. Western New England would hold off the late UNE run and would come away with an 82-73 victory.

Inside the Lines:

• Tim Restall led Western New England with 26 total points in the game on 12/16 shooting overall. The graduate student collected six rebounds, three offensive and three defensive, while also picking up one block.
• Brian Geitner's late three would be big to stop the UNE run as the Tolland, Connecticut, native totaled 14 points and six field goal makes overall.
• Andrew Byfield led Western New England with 11 rebounds in the win while Cody Palazzesi was also in double figures in scoring with ten points.
• Adam Lux stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points on 9/15 shooting to lead UNE.
• Western New England was just 3/18 from three-point land in the game, though they shot 47% total from the field, going 28/38 from two in the game.
• UNE made 26 field goals, shooting 37% overall in the game.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears will return home for their first home game in over a month, entertaining Roger Williams University in CNE action on Tuesday, January 7, at 7:30 PM.