By Shawn Amponsah-
In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Regional held at WPI, the Engineers squared off against the Husson University Eagles at Harrington Auditorium in Worcester, MA. Although the Eagles entered the matchup with a strong sense of confidence, it was the Engineers who ultimately emerged victorious.
WPI entered the tournament as an at-large bid after suffering a loss to their local rival, Clark University, in the NEWMAC Championship. In contrast, Husson secured their spot by winning the NAC Conference Championship against Vermont State-Johnson. This matchup marked the seventh meeting between the two teams, and WPI continued their dominance by winning all seven encounters against Husson.
Husson kicked off the game with a three-pointer from Jeremy Moronta, assisted by Gil Mantondo. The first half saw a tightly contested match, with the Engineers holding a 39-30 lead as they headed into halftime. Tim Reidy stood out with a strong performance, finishing the half as the top scorer with 11 points.
Tim Reidy delivered an impressive performance, hitting 7 of 14 three-point attempts, which equated to a solid 50%. His teammate Aidan Callahan also shined, shooting 5 for 8 from beyond the arc, achieving an impressive 62.5% accuracy, and maintaining perfection at the free-throw line with 10 for 10. Together, they contributed a significant 54 points to their team’s total of 81. Jeremy Moronta added to the effort with 13 points and a standout eight rebounds. Both Moronta and Gil Matonda led the team in assists with four each. Scott Lewis rounded out the strong showing with 18 points, one assist, two blocks, and eight rebounds.
In the end, the engineers came out victorious, winning by 10. The final score was 81-71, ending the Eagles season with a 21-7 record and the Engineers advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament, playing the Ithaca Bombers (18-9) at home on March 4, 2025, at Harrington Auditorium in Worcester, MA.