Springfield, Mass. - January 29, 2015 - A 22-2 run spanning over 6:26 of the second half fueled the Springfield College men's basketball program to a 85-60 victory over Emerson College on Thursday evening in Blake Arena.

With the win, the Pride improve to 12-6 on the season and 4-3 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), while Emerson falls to 9-8 overall and 3-4 in league play. Springfield shot 24-for-54 (44.4%) from the field in the victory, while the Lions were held to just 23-of-63 (36.5%) shooting on the night. 

Senior guard Josh Altman (Rockport, Mass.) led the way for Springfield, registering 18 points and seven rebounds coming off the bench, while classmate Sean Martin (Rindge, N.H.) tallied 16 points of his own to go along with eight assists, three rebounds and three steals. Graduate student Tim Swenson (Millbury, Mass) posted a team-high eight rebounds in the win.

Martin kicked the game off with back-to-back baskets, sending Springfield on a 10-2 run to begin the game, capped off by a lay-in from Swenson. 

Emerson then cut its deficit to three after junior guard Michael Thorpe (Newton, Mass.) converted on a free-throw to make it 10-7, Springfield, midway through the opening half. 

With a 16-11 advantage, Altman caused a turnover in the defensive end and finished off a basket in transition on the other end to give the Pride an 18-11 lead before converting on the free-throw to complete the three-point play. 

After back-to-back three pointers from junior forward Austin Pinckney (Miami, Fla.) to cut the Lions' deficit to just five points, Sean Martin knocked down a free-throw before finding Altman in transition for a three-pointer from the wing to give the Pride a 27-19 lead. 

Up 30-19 with 2:24 remaining in the half, Emerson rattled off six-straight points including a steal from Thorpe and a layup from Jacob Forchheimer (Avon, Conn.) to end the half trailing Springfield, 30-25.

After Thorpe kicked off the second half with a three-pointer to cut the Lions' deficit to three, junior guard Larry Piretra (Oakland, N.J.) answered with a triple of his own to help the Pride retain its five-point advantage. 

Junior guard Mike Carbone (North Reading, Mass.) then brought Emerson to within three with a deep three-pointer, before Piretra knocked down a mid-range jumper, followed by an Altman basket in transition and free-throw as part of a 14-2 run for the Pride, capped of by a pair of free-throws from Martin to give the Pride a 52-37 lead midway through the second half. 

Holding a 20-point lead with just over six minutes remaining, Pinckney scored five of the Lions next seven points to bring Emerson back to within 13 before senior guard Nick Sienkiewicz (Cranston, R.I.) hit a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to make it 68-52, Springfield. 

After a pair of free-throws and a lay-in from Eckles to help the Pride regain its 20-point advantage, the Pride closed out the game on a with a pair of three-pointers and a free-throw conversion from Freshman guard Brendan Abad (Longmeadow, Mass.) to close out the Lions, 85-60.

Springfield will resume play on Saturday, January 31 when it will host No. 7 WPI in Blake Arena at 7 p.m.