BABSON PARK, MA- Freshman Anthony Weeks (Fitchburg, MA/Worcester Academy) hit game-tying three-pointers in the waning seconds of both the second half and overtime, but the Wheaton College men's basketball team could not take advantage, falling at Babson College, 69-67 during New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday in Staake Gymnasium. The Lyons, who had been 4-0 in league games decided by 10 points or less, slipped to 13-9 overall and 5-4 in the conference, while the Beavers improved to 11-10 and 3-5.

Wheaton trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half before rallying to force overtime. Babson held its largest lead, 40-27, with 17:28 remaining in regulation and still led by 10 with nearly seven minutes to go, but Weeks and sophomore Anthony Coppola (Watertown, MA/Watertown) scored five points apiece during a 13-4 run that brought the Lyons within 56-55 with 3:29 left in the period. After the Beavers twice made it a three-point game, Weeks buried a trey with nine ticks left to knot the game at 60 and force overtime.

In the extra session, Babson scored seven of the first nine points en route to gaining a 67-62 advantage by 2:39, but the Lyons rallied to tie behind more clutch shooting from Weeks. After freshman Bruno Naylor's (Los Angeles, CA/Northfield Mount Hermon School) putback at 1:59 made it 67-64, Weeks hit another game-tying three with 26 seconds left. However, the Lyons were whistled for a foul with 2.5 ticks remaining, and Babson senior Zach Etten (Hollis, NH/Hollis Brookline) hit two free throws before picking off Wheaton's ensuing inbounds pass.

The Lyons grabbed a quick 7-2 lead just 2:20 into the contest on sophomore Ryan Sasso's (Peabody, MA/Bishop Fenwick) three-pointer, but Babson scored seven of the next nine points to knot the contest at nine before using a later 9-2 run to grab an 18-13 advantage by 10:28. Wheaton narrowed its deficit to 21-19 after junior Jaxon Leo's (Leesburg, VA/New Hampton School) bucket at 7:06, but Babson eventually went on an 11-1 run during a 2:59 stretch to pull ahead by 12. Sasso canned a three with nine seconds to go in the first half, sending Wheaton into the locker room down by a 34-25 count. The hosts were bolstered by 5-of-9 three-point shooting.

Wheaton shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half but just 2-of-9 in overtime despite three of its four rebounds coming on the offensive end. Weeks matched his season high with 18 points while notching a season-best five steals. Coppola added 13 points, Sasso had 12 points and six assists, and Leo totaled 12 points.

Babson tried only two shots in overtime, making one, while shooting 7-of-8 on freebies in the period after going 4-of-8 during regulation. Etten had a game-high 26 points to along with eight rebounds, while freshman Kris Noonan (Boothbay Harbor, ME/Boothbay Region) collected 18 points, 11 boards and five assists off the bench.

The Lyons break from action until Saturday, when they host Springfield College at 1:00 p.m.