WPI 76, Springfield 56 

Worcester, MA --- The WPI men's basketball team earned its eleventh consecutive victory of the 2006-07 campaign on Saturday afternoon, as it defeated NEWMAC rival Springfield 76-56 at Harrington Auditorium. The winning streak equals the second longest in school history. The 2003-04 squad holds the record with 12 straight wins.

The nationally ranked Engineers (No. 18 in the D3Hoops.com poll), which improved to 14-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference, jumped out to a 12-2 lead over the first 5:36. Keying the WPI run were 3-pointers by Antoine Coleman (Everett, MA) and Jim Marois (Worcester, MA), as well as a pair of technical foul shots by Ryan Cain (Webster, MA).

The Pride (8-10, 3-2) cut the lead in half courtesy hoops from Jamaal Gibbs (Norwalk, CT) and Pat Crean (Sleepy Hollow, NY), before WPI scored the next eight points. A trifecta from Cain (game-high 21 points) and a triple by Jerome Kirkland (Boston, MA) sandwiched a Ryan Bourque (Nashua, NH) hoop on a nifty dish by Coleman (seven points, 11 rebounds).

WPI led 30-16 at the half keyed by three blocked shots by Bourque. The Crimson and Gray finished the game with 12 blocks.

The Engineers opened the second half with an 11-2 run, as the Crimson and Gray torched the nets with back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers over 1:34, including a pair by Cain. Kirkland (11 points, four assists) assisted all three long distance shots.

For Springfield, Gibbs led all scorers with 15 points while Anthony Pizzo (Clifton Park, NY) scored 11 points, swiped four steals and dished out three assists. Ryan Blackmon (Stamford, CT) came off the bench and scored 10 points for the Pride.

WPI concludes a brief two-game home stretch on Wednesday at 5:30pm with a contest versus Coast Guard. Springfield also returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Babson for a 7pm game.