Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Zach Karalis scored a game-high 25 points to lead the ninth-ranked Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) men's basketball team to a 100-84 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this afternoon, in the season opener for both schools.

Rensselaer got out to a fast start from the floor and led, 20-10, six minutes in. A 7-0 run help the Engineers on way, highlighted by a corner three-pointer from sophomore Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack). A pair of free throws by classmate Chase Almond (South Kingstown, RI/South Kingstown) pushed the hosts advantage to their largest lead of the game (24-12) with 12:11 left in the first half.

WPI quick began chipping away at the deficit, pulling to within 26-23, on a free throw from sophomore guard Aaron Davis (Marshfield, MA/Brooks School). Almond then converted on a lay-in to make it a five-point game once again, with 8:54 remaining in the stanza.

The visitors drew even (30-30), with 8:04 of the clock, thanks to a three-point play by freshman Sean Doncaster (Medford, MA/Medford), who finished the day with 14 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the field

After a second tie at, 34-34, freshman Luis Garcia (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) gave WPI the lead for good at the 14:25 mark of the first half, getting to the rim in transition. The hoop made it 36-34.

The visiting Engineers continued to add to their lead as the first half wound down, finishing the half on a 9-2 run. A lay-up from junior Wil Michalski (Shrewsbury, MA/Shrewsbury) and a triple by Karalis on back-to-back possessions, highlighted the spurt that saw WPI take a 52-40 lead into halftime.

A three-pointer by RPI sophomore Brian Hatcher (Danbury, CT/Immaculate) made it a single-digit game (53-45), less than two minutes into the second, but that was as close as Rensselaer would get the rest of the day.

Senior guard Reggie Colas (Miami, FL/Belen Jesuit) netted two of his team-best 11 points with 12:09 to play, making it a 10-point game (65-55). WPI had the answer, as Karalis hit from close range at the other end of court, followed by a three from Doncaster. 

WPI's lead ballooned to 20 points on two occasions, including with 2:42 to go, on a pair of free throws by junior Matt Harrington (Shrewsbury, MA/St. John's). A lay-up from Doncaster with 47 seconds remaining brought the visitors to an even 100 points.

Almond and Colas each finished with 11 points to lead RPI. Five players finished in double-figures for WPI, including senior Ryan Kolb (Southington, CT/Holy Cross), who dropped in 12, to go along with nine rebounds.