SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - First-year
EJ Sommers and sophomores
Aidan Yates and
Jackson Rein combined for 41 points Monday, as the Williams College men's basketball team went on the road and defeated Springfield, 65-49, to win its fourth consecutive game.
Yates finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while shooting 3 for 5 on 3-pointers, for the Ephs (10-2). Rein also totaled 14 points, to go along with five boards and a 4-for-8 effort from 3-point range. Sommers was superb in just under 19 minutes off the bench, recording his first collegiate double-double, as he pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds and tied a personal-best 13 points.
Josiah Evely (14 points) and Josh Hartley (10 points, 6 rebounds) led the way for the Pride (3-8, 1-1 NEWMAC). Williams shot 42.9% on 3-pointers, knocking down 9 of 21 shots from long range, while holding a 24-11 lead over Springfield in bench points.
The Ephs came out on a mission, building an 18-5 lead with 10:40 left in the first half on a layup by senior
Hudson Hansen. A jumper by Hansen put the visitors in front, 27-10, with 4:53 remaining, and then the Pride responded with a 10-0 surge, trimming the Ephs' advantage to 27-20 on a jumper in the paint by Evely with 2:37 on the clock. Williams took a 32-24 lead into halftime on a layup by senior
Sammy Cooley with 51 seconds on the scoreboard.
Springfield cut the deficit to 35-29 on a layup by Xoren Livingston 3:39 into the second half, but the Ephs refused to allow the Pride to get any closer the remainder of the game. Williams opened up a 61-40 lead on a 3-point shot by Rein with 3:51 left in regulation.
The Ephs will start NESCAC competition Friday with a 7 p.m. matchup against Little Three-rival Wesleyan at Chandler Gymnasium in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
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