BIG SECOND HALF POWERS No. 10 AMHERST PAST MEN’S BASKETBALL, 84-58

Boston, Mass. – Led by a balanced offensive effort that saw six players in double-figures, the Amherst College men's basketball team bested Emmanuel College, 84-58, Tuesday evening in non-conference action at the Jean Yawkey Center. With the victory, the Lord Jeffs who are ranked No. 10 in the most recent D3hoops.com national poll improve to 6-1 on the year while the loss drops the Saints to 2-4 overall.

Leading 40-32 at the half, Amherst turned on the accelerator early in the second frame to put the game out of reach. Following a thunderous dunk by EC senior forward Xavier Everson (Rochester, N.Y.) to make it 40-34, the Lord Jeffs went on a 17-3 run fueled by six points from junior guard David Kalema (Burke, Va.) to take a 57-37 lead and control of the action with 12:09 left to play.

A fast break dunk by freshman Connor Green (Bedford, N.H.) gave Amherst its largest lead of the evening at 77-47 with 5:37 remaining. Emmanuel would outscore the Lord Jeffs 11-7 over the remainder of the contest but it was too little too late as the No. 10 team in the nation held on for the 84-58 win.

Amherst jumped out to an early 8-2 lead following a layup by junior guard Aaron Toomey (Greensboro, N.C.) but the Saints responded with a quick 7-1 spurt capped by a three point field goal by junior guard Alex Myers (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) to tie the contest at 9-9 with 14:37 remaining in the opening frame.

The Lord Jeffs answered with a 10-0 run to take a 19-9 lead with 11:54 to play in the half before Everson got EC in double-figures with a layup to make it 19-11.

Amherst would take its largest lead of the opening stanza with 7:03 remaining following a pair of free throws by senior guard Allen Williamson (Saugus, Mass.) but Emmanuel did not let it faze them, cutting it to a two possession game at 29-23 following a jumper by junior forward Theo Robinson (Springfield, Mass.) with 4:55 remaining.

The visitors would extend their lead back to double-digits when Kalema converted a fast break layup to make it 37-27 but the Saints immediately responded going on a 5-0 spurt as Myers connected on a deep trey to cut the lead to 37-32 with 1:38 left in the half. Amherst would close out the half with the final three points to take a 40-32 lead into the locker room at the break.

Kalema led Amherst with 17 points and a game-high six assists while Green, Toomey, Williamson and senior center Peter Kaasila (Plaistow, N.H.) chipped in with 12 points each. Rounding out the Lord Jeffs in double-figures was senior forward Willy Workman (Northampton, Mass.) with 10 points.

For Emmanuel, Robinson led all scorers with 18 points for Emmanuel while Everson added 17 points.

The Saints are back in action on Thursday evening when they host Framingham State University at 7:30 PM while the Lord Jeffs return to the hardwood the same night when they play host to Babson College at 7:30 PM.