Preview of semi-final game against Elms College

BOSTON, Mass. – With a convincing 95-67 win over Daniel Webster College in the New England Collegiate College Quarterfinals the Wheelock men’s basketball team advances to the conference semi-finals for the second year in a row. Last season the Wildcats defeated Mitchell College in the quarter-finals, only to fall to eventual tournament champions Elms College in the second round of the playoffs. Friday night, head coach John Preziosa’s team will have another shot at the Blazers.

The Wildcats are a much different team than last year however, entering the game with a 16-10 record on the season, including an 8-6 mark in conference play, while Elms enters the post-season in second place, with a mark of 19-6, with a 12-2 record in the NECC.

Wheelock handed Elms College one of those two conference losses when the two teams met earlier this season at Pine Manor College, winning 87-82 in a dramatic overtime finish. Senior Sherard Robbins turned in a season-high 29 points while grabbing 15 boards to lead the Wildcats to one of their biggest conference wins ever.

Friday night’s game will feature a battle between the first ranked scoring offense and defense, as Elms enters the game ranked first in offense (82.7ppg), while the Wildcats have been tops in defense for most of the year (68.0 ppg).

The game begins at 8:00 pm at Becker College in Leicester, Mass.