Worcester, MASS.— The WPI Engineers (2-0) maintained control all night, leading by as many as 17 and keeping it in double digits for most of the game. While Williams (0-1) showed bright spots, they couldn't keep their momentum going long enough to put some serious pressure on the Engineers. WPI's Aidan Callahan and John Adams led all scorers with 26 and 19 points respectively, with 2022 D3 rookie of the year Adams adding on nine rebounds and five assists too. Williams' Nate Karren put up 13 and 5, and Brandon Roughley added 11 and 7. 

The Ephs' head coach Kevin App shared his thoughts following the game, saying "I think we showed some stretches of playing exactly how we wanted to play. But that first game angst, that first game tiredness combined with WPI's physicality just got us playing not how we wanted to for most of the first half. I thought in the second half we had some stretches of playing how we wanted to play." 

The Engineers set the pace of the game early with their aggressive play on both ends of the floor. They won the tip, and while they couldn't get it to fall on their first try, Aiden Callahan was fouled behind the arc for an easy three points at the line. WPI would go up 8-0 before Nate Karren scored the Ephs' first points with a turnaround in the lane. 

Karren's first points seemed to ignite the Ephs, and they stayed even with the Engineers for the next 10:20 as both teams scored 14. Five Ephs scored in this stretch— Cole Prowitt-Smith converted on two driving layups and Ben McGraw scored the Ephs' first three of the season. In response to the Ephs' energy, WPI played an aggressive man-to-man defense throughout the half, getting into passing lanes and pushing through screens. 

Near the end of the first half this aggressive defense started to translate into offensive opportunities, and WPI went on a 20-11 run to end the half up 42-27. However, the Ephs wouldn't give up without a battle. 

While Callahan started the second half off with a pullup jumper, Williams proceeded to keep WPI scoreless for about the next four minutes. Alex Lee exemplified the Ephs' fighting spirit, scoring Williams' first points of the half with a steal and layup, which he followed up with a turnaround jumper on Adams in the paint. 

Against the Engineers' overplaying defense, the Ephs started to generate a lot more off-ball movement: Brandon Roughley caught the ball and drove through contact for a smooth finger-roll layup; Noah Dinkins and Alex Stoddard got themselves open under the basket for easy shots; Ben McGraw relocated for a smooth three, bringing the deficit down to ten. But the Engineers kept their foot on the gas, responding with a layup and converting a strong defensive play into three points on the other end. 

A few minutes later, another layup from Roughley got the Ephs down to ten again, but that was as far as Williams would go for the rest of the game. Adams and Callahan combined for ten points in the next five minutes, and the Engineers kept the Ephs to five. While the Ephs kept up their tenacity to the very end, tying the Engineers 35-35 in the second half, bonus shots allowed WPI to maintain their lead and close out the game 77-62. 

Looking forward, Coach App said: "We're looking to get back out and play again. These first couple of games are about learning and growing and seeing where we're at." He added, "I think our pace wasn't what we wanted it to be— they had a big part to do with that. They're a really well coached, physical, good team that won 20 games last year. I thought we got some open looks that normally we'd knock down, but a lot of that was them taking us out of our timing."

The Ephs will play again tomorrow against either Saint Joseph's College of Maine or Dickinson.