Box Score
CHESTER, PA – The Rowan University men’s basketball team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 69-63 in the first round of the Widener Tip-Off Classic on Friday night.
In the other first round game, host Widener University beat Adrian College, 62-47. On Saturday, November 20, Wentworth and Adrian will meet in the consolation game at 1 p.m., followed by Rowan and Widener in the championship at 3 p.m.
The Profs improve to 2-0, while the Leopards are 0-3. Rowan was led by guard Kendall White (so. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) with 17 points and eight rebounds. Guard Roger Loatman (jr. Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) totaled 14 points and eight boards off the bench. Forward Steve Secula (jr. Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Reg.) added 10 points and six rebounds. Guard Jason Rosenberg (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) compiled six assists and five steals. Guard Sean Hughes (sr. Pt. Pleasant, NJ/Pt. Pleasant Boro) contributed with eight points.
For Wentworth, guard Sam Herrick (sr. Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) registered 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Guard Derek Mayo (fr. Casco, ME/Lake Region) tallied 14 points and five assists. Forward Corey Therriault (so. Auburn, ME/Edward Little) scored 10 points, while guard Eric Prue (jr. Auburn, ME/Edward Little) had eight.
Wentworth was ahead, 33-28 at halftime. The Leopards increased the lead to 11 (41-30) following a layup by Mayo at 17:22 in the second period. Rowan scored 10 straight points over the next 6:17 to trail by one (41-40). White recorded four points, while center Chris Gebhart (fr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.), Secula and Rosenberg each had two. Therriault’s jumper at 10:16 made the score, 43-40. The Profs had three consecutive baskets by White (10:03), Hughes (9:21) and Secula (8:11) to go up, 46-43.
Herrick’s three-point play at 7:52 tied the game (46-46). Two free throws by Hughes at 7:37 put Rowan ahead for good. Secula’s jumper at 3:18 stretched the lead to seven (58-51). Therriault nailed a three-pointer at 1:57 to pull the Leopards within three (60-57). Loatman sunk two foul shots to make the score 64-59 with 26 seconds left. Mayo made two free throws at the 21 second mark. After a foul shot by Loatman (:18), Mayo had a layup to come within two (65-63). Guard Laud Anderson (sr. North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick Twp.) and Hughes each made two free throws over the final eight seconds to secure the win.
Wentworth jumped out to a five point advantage (7-2) at 16:24 in the first period. At 11:03, the Leopards were ahead, 14-9 following a layup by Loatman. Wentworth scored the next five points to go up 19-9. Guard Keenan Burke-Pitts (sr. Auburn, MA/Auburn) and Prue each made two free throws and Herrick had one. Rowan answered with a 10-0 surge to tie the score at 19 with 7:32 on the clock. White tallied five points, Gebhart had three and Loatman added two.
The score was tied two more times with the last coming at 3:50 (25-25). Wentworth had a layup by forward Matt Harte (jr. Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and a three-pointer by guard James Towner (fr. Carlsbad, CA/Carlsbad) to pull ahead 30-25. Rosenburg sunk a free throw at 2:45. Harte made a foul shot (2:29) and Herrick had a layup (1:25) to push the lead to seven (33-26). Profs’ forward Tim Matchett (sr. Pitman, NJ/Pitman) hit a jumper at 1:07 to make the score 33-28 at the intermission.
