Boston, Mass. – Junior Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Conn.) came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points as the Clark University men's basketball team defeated Wentworth Institute of Technology, 68-59, in non-conference action at Tansey Gymnasium.

With the win the Cougars improve to 1-1 on the season while the Leopards fall to 0-3.

The Leopards held leads of as many as four on three occasions in the first half, including when senior Nico Donato (Glastonbury, Conn.) had a steal and a fast-break layup with 8:11 remaining. Wentworth's largest lead of the half came when senior John-Michael Fragnoli (Scotia, N.Y.) hit a pair of free throws with 6:02 left to put the hosts up five.

Clark cut the lead to one on three occasions late in the half, including when Huffman hit a layup with 1:12 left to make it a 31-30 contest, which was how the half would end.

A David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) basket to open the second half gave the Cougars a 32-31 lead, however the lead would be short lived as Fragnoli and junior Cam Sennick (Wilton, Maine) hit back-to-back jumpers to give the hosts a 35-32 lead with 18:10 left.

After back-to-back baskets from graduate students Andrew Musler (Belmont, Mass.) and Nick DaPrato (Marshfield, Mass.) gave the Cougars a 36-35 lead with 16:39 left, Fragnoli answered with a mid-range jumper to give Wentworth the lead back.

The lead would be short-lived, however, as Clark scored the next six points and took a 42-37 lead on a pair of DaPrato free throws with 14:27 left.

Wentworth cut the deficit to three on a junior Ian Therriault (Auburn, Maine) second-chance basket on the next possession, however the Cougars used an 8-1 spurt to take a 50-40 lead on a Conor Dow (Needham, Mass.) deep 3-pointer.

The Leopards were able to cut the deficit in half and trailed 52-47 after freshman Cesar Fulcar (Watertown, Mass.) hit a jumper but Huffman answered, scoring seven straight in a 9-0 run that saw the Scarlet and White advantage balloon to 61-47 lead with 5:31 to play.

Mercier added 16 points (on 7-for-10 shooting) while DaPrato had 14 points and six rebounds. Musler chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds and Lucas LaLima (Colts Neck, N.J.) had five assists.

Fragnoli led the Leopards with 14 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists, Fulcar and Donato had eight points apiece.

Clark is at the Bridgewater State Tournament this weekend, facing the host Bears on Saturday. Tip is slated for 12:00 p.m.