Worcester, Mass. – In a game that featured ten ties and ten lead changes, it was Springfield College who scored the game's final five points enroute to a crucial 72-67 win over Clark University in New England Women's And Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball action on Wednesday evening at the Kneller Athletic Center.

With the win, the Pride improves to 10-14 overall and more importantly are now 6-7 in conference contests and have secured one of the five spots in the upcoming conference tournament slated to begin next Wednesday.

For the Cougars meanwhile, they have now dropped four straight to slip to 6-18 and have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Springfield jumped out to and early eight point lead but that advantage had all but evaporated by halftime when Clark was down only 35-31.

The Scarlet and White scored ten of the first 16 points in the second half and when John Pisacreta (Andover, Mass.) converted a layup, the game was tied at 41-41.

Springfield moved ahead by four at 54-50 when Josh Downes made one of two free throws, but Clark went on a 12-2 run highlighted by three-pointers from Luke LaLima (Colts Neck, N.J.) and Joe Atkinson (Milford, Mass.) as well as an inside hoop from Evan Lerner (Hopedale, Mass.).

The Pride answered back with a burst of their own – this one a 7-0 spurt that featured five free throws from three different players and a jumper from Downes.

Down by one at 63-62, Clark went back in front courtesy of a three-point bomb from Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Conn.), giving the Cougars a 65-63 lead with 2:40 left.

Huffman put Clark back in from at 67-65 with a pair from the charity stripe with 1:23 left but Springfield knotted the score when Quinn McKenna got free inside at the 1:04 mark.

The Pride went ahead by one on a Downes free throw and then forced a Clark turnover on the ensuing possession and then made two more from the charity stripe to build their lead to three at 70-67 with nine seconds left.

Clark had one final chance to force overtime, but Huffman's three-point try was off the mark and Springfield claimed their eighth consecutive win over the Scarlet and White.

The visitors shot 49 percent from the field for the game (24-for-49) and had 18 assists attached to their 24 baskets.

Josh Altman led all scorers with 21 points, while Downes added 20 and Larry Piretra posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Clark was paced by both Huffman and Pisacreta who had 12 points each and Lamar Berk (Saint Augustine, Fla.) and Luca McCormick (Bradenton, Fla.) with 11 apiece.

The Cougars will close out the 2015-16 season with a home contest against WPI on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 1:00 p.m.