Worcester, Mass. – Springfield College closed the game on a 20-7 run and the visiting Pride won for the third time in their last four games picking up a key New England Women's And Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball win – a 65-49 decision over Clark University on Saturday afternoon.

The win for Springfield improves their record to 11-6 overall and more importantly, evens their league record at 3-3. For Clark, meanwhile, they have now dropped back to back games and three of their last four and now sit at 7-10 (2-4 NEWMAC).

Tim Swenson (Millbury, Mass.) helped the Pride set the tone early on with a pair of two-handed dunks but the Cougars stayed close and when David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) scored off of an offensive rebound, Clark went into the half with the momentum, trailing only 31-27.

Springfield bumped their lead up to eight a little less than five minutes into the second half as Swenson found a cutting Larry Piretra (Oakland, N.J.) and Josh Altman (Rockport, Mass.) dropped in a top of the key jumper, making the score 39-31.

The Scarlet and White pushed back, scoring nine of the next 13 points on three straight three-pointers from Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Conn.). Despite Huffman's sharpshooting, the Pride scored two easy baskets, including one on the break when Sean Martin (Rindge, N.H.) found a streaking Brandon Eckles (East Greenwich, R.I.).

Clark was within two at 45-42 at just under the ten minute mark when Andrew Musler (Belmont, Mass.) scored inside, but the offense went cold, going more than nine minutes without a basket and missing its next 13 shots before Anthony Manzello (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored with under a minute to play.

During the nine minute scoreless drought for the Cougars, Springfield stepped on the gas, getting three pointers from Martin and Nick Sienkiewicz (Cranston, R.I.) and an easy hoop from Josh Downes (East Sandwich, Mass.) – a basket that gave the visitors their biggest lead at 22 points (65-43) with less than two minutes to play.

One game after setting a program record with 15 made three-pointers, the Pride used an efficient offense to collect the win in this contest, handing out 20 assists on their 28 baskets while shooting 52 percent from the field.

Clark, meanwhile, shot a season-low 28 percent (19-for-66), including going just 7-for-30 in the final 20 minutes of action.

Martin led a quintet of Springfield players in double figures with 14 points, a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with six assists and three steals. Downes added 12 points, Sienkiewicz 11, and both Piretra and Altman chipped in with ten apiece. Swenson did a little bit of everything, finishing with six points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Clark was paced by Mercier, who finished with his third double-double of the season, totaling 14 points and ten boards. Huffman added ten points of his own off the bench and Joseph Atkinson (Milford, Mass.) provided seven points and five assists in 29 minutes.

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday with key league matchups. Springfield will play the first of four straight at home beginning with Emerson, while the Cougars hit the road for three in a row beginning with Babson.