Springfield, Mass. – February 1, 2025 – For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the Springfield College men's basketball team completed the regular season sweep of Wheaton College as the Pride topped the Lyons today, 69-57, in Blake Arena.

Springfield, which won the opening meeting between the two teams, 83-81 in overtime back in early January, improved to 8-11 overall and to 5-5 in NEWMAC play, while Wheaton dropped to 10-10, 5-6.

Jarron Flynn (Roslindale, Mass.) paced Springfield with 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the floor, while Curtiss Blische (Barkhamsted, Conn.) pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds in addition to seven points for the Pride. In total, ten different student-athletes scored today for Springfield in the balanced win that saw the Pride shoot 40.3-percent from the floor, knock down 15 free throws and post 36 of its 69 points in the paint. Wheaton was paced by Dimetri Iafrate, who scored a game-high 16 points in the setback.

Springfield scored the first eight points of the game – a run that was capped on a fastbreak layup from Flynn with just 4:15 expired on the clock. Wheaton scored five quick points, but a 9-2 run for Springfield ballooned the lead to 11 at 18-7 following a jumper from Josh Hartley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) midway through the stanza.

Springfield's biggest lead of the game came with 6:31 remaining in the first following an and-one play from Flynn that made it a 23-11 contest. Wheaton ultimately outscored Springfield by a 13-6 margin which saw the Lyons shoot 3-for-6 from the floor and receive six points from Iafrate to make it just a five point game, 29-24, at the break.
 
Springfield never relinquished its lead in the second half, but Wheaton got as close as three points at 33-30 with 15:50 to play following a layup from Khaled Thaher. Springfield responded to Thaher's bucket with a 13-3 run over the next 5:41 that saw five different scorers for the Pride and featured a trey from RJ Hutt (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) from deep in the corner before a layup from Hartley made it a 13 point Springfield lead.

Wheaton got as close as six points down the stretch at 57-51 following a layup from Iafrate with 2:59 to play, but Springfield went 8-for-11 at the charity stripe to seal the 69-57 victory.

Springfield will travel to Salve Regina University on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Earlier this season, the Seahawks defeated the Pride, 79-69, in Blake Arena, as Springfield looks to split the 2024-25 series.

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events by subscribing to FloSports.