NEW LONDON, N.H. – The New England College men's basketball team secured their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win of the season on Tuesday evening as the Pilgrims took down Colby-Sawyer at the Dan & Kathleen Hogan Sports Center in New London, New Hampshire.  
 

THE BASICS 
Score: New England College 83, Colby-Sawyer 75 
Records: Pilgrims 3-14, 1-5 GNAC | Chargers 2-15, 0-6 GNAC 

TURNING POINTS 

• The NEC offense got off to a good start led by senior guard Theisen Lee (Cincinnati, Ohio) and graduate guard Nick Gomeau (Enfield, Conn.) who combined to score the team's first 12 points of the game. The Pilgrims led by as many as 7 in the first half as Lee couldn't miss from the field; the senior poured in 15 points in the first nine minutes of the game.
• When Lee got his first rest of the game with 10:49 remaining, the Chargers immediately responded with a quick 12-0 run to take a five-point lead. But the 'Grims would put a stop to the run and across the final eight minutes of the first half, the team would put up a 17-10 counter to take a two-point lead into the half.  
• The second half would remain close throughout and see 10 lead changes and eight ties. NEC's lead would balloon up to as many as eight with five minutes to go but would be whittled down to just two points with 1:15 to go. Sophomore guard Mike Strazzeri (Chichester, N.H.), with under a minute to play and the shot clock dwindling, would drive to the basket, draw the foul, and finish for a chance at a three-point play. Strazzeri would knock down the free throw to put the Pilgrims up by five.
• The Chargers would go scoreless down the stretch and free throws from Gomeau and Lee would put the game away for the Pilgrims. The 83-75 win is the team's first of the season in conference play. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Lee led all scorers with 27 points on 9-17 shooting including 5-9 from three-point range. Lee added seven rebounds and two steals. 
• Gomeau scored 18 points on an efficient 7-11 shooting from the field while contributing six rebounds and six assists. 
• Strazzeri missed just one shot all night, scoring 14 points on 6-7 shooting. Senior guard Alex Williams (Miramar, Fla.) chipped in 11 points and five rebounds while sophomore center Aiden MacLeod (Wilmington, Mass.) scored eight points. 
• The offense was flowing for the 'Grims as the team shot 51.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.  
• NEC outrebounded CSC, 35-30. The Pilgrims had the advantage scoring in the paint, 46-30. 

UP NEXT 

• Up next for NEC, the team has the weekend off before returning to action at home against St. Joseph's (ME) next Wednesday at 7:00 PM. 
• Colby-Sawyer welcomes Johnson & Wales into town for a conference meeting on Saturday at 3:00 PM. 

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.