Owls Blaze Past MCLA, 98-65 in MASCAC Semifinals

WESTFIELD., Mass. –   Westfield State University had all five starters score in double-figures as the top-seeded Owls defeated #6 MCLA, 95-68 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball semifinals at the Woodward Center on Friday night.

With the win, Westfield State (21-5) advances to Sunday's conference championship game, which  Westfield will host at 1:00 p.m. at the Woodward Center.   Westfield will face second-seed Worcester State, a 71-62 winner over #4 Framingham State in the other semifinal game tonight in Worcester.

Westfield jumped out to a 21-4 lead in the first 8:43 of the game.

The Owls attacked the rim offensively and got out in transition, building the lead to as many as 25 points late in the first half before the Trailblazers were able to reel it back to 19 points, as the Owls led 46-27 at the half.

Westfield couldn't break the string early in the second half.    MCLA trimmed the lead to 15 points, 71-56 on a three pointer by Craig Williams with 8:08 left in the game.   Westfield responded with an 8-0 run that was capped by a Jason James jumper to build the lead back to 23 points with six minutes to play.

Kenney Rogers led Westfield with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds and four assists.   James added 19 points, Xavier Lewis scored 17, A.Z. Allah netted 16 (13 in the first half) and grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists.   Joe Thomson, who entered the game ranked sixth in NCAA D3 in rebounding at 11.4 per game, finished with 10 points, 12 boards and four blocks.  Keith Mency added seven points off the bench.

Westfield shot 57.8 percent from the floor in the game, and outscored MCLA in transition 26-4, and had a 56-30 margin in points in the paint.

MCLA's season comes to a close at 9-16.   Williams led the Trailblazers with 26 points, connecting on five of nine three pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds, Colin Quinn was the only other Blazer in double figures with 14.   Frank Field scored nine points and pulled down eight boards.

Westfield's 21 wins are the fourth-best total in school history, and is the fifth time the Owls have won 20 or more games in head coach Rich Sutter's tenure.

Westfield will be seeking a second straight MASCAC tournament title and will be looking for their fourth league title in the last six seasons, and the Owls are playing in their sixth conference tournament final in the last seven seasons.  Westfield defeated Salem State 93-63 for a historic 30-point win in last year's conference championship game.

The winner of the MASCAC Tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

Westfield and Worcester will be playing for the third time this season. Westfield won both matchups, winning 85-64 in the first meeting in Westfield in January, and 84-72 in Worcester in February.

The Owls and Lancers have squared off three times in the MASCAC Championship game since 2019.  Westfield won  81-77 in 2019, and  80-66 in 2022 at the Woodward Center.   In 2023, the Lancers defeated the Owls 65-53 at the Brissette Court in Worcester.