Worcester, MA – Senior forward Asher Cowan (Peterborough, N.H.) had 17 points, including five three-pointers, to lead the Clark University men’s basketball team to an 85-68 non-conference victory over cross-town foe Worcester State College in Tuesday night’s home opener.     

Winners of three straight, Clark owns a 3-1 overall record.  Worcester State drops to 1-3. 

Clark gradually pulled away from the Lancers on its way to a building up a 10-point lead (40-30) at the break. A two-point basket by Peter Normandin (Westminster, Mass.) gave the Cougars a 32-18 advantage at the 5:30 mark of the half.  WSC’s Winfred Rembert’s (New Haven, Conn.) lay-up cut Clark’s lead to eight (32-24), but an 8-2 run highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from Matt McLaughlin (Rochester, Mass.) and Dominique Beck (Brockton, Mass.) gave the Cougars their highest lead of the half (40-26).    

Worcester State charged back in the opening minutes of the second stanza.  Mark Retallic’s (Oxford, Mass.) two-point shot brought the Lancers within reach (36-42), but Cowan  and Byron Roberts (New Haven, Conn.) hit a combined five three-pointers to push the margin back up to 17 (59-42) at 13:40. Less than five minutes later, Cowan drained his final trey of the night to give the Cougars its largest lead (69-47). 

Normandin had 15 points and first-year Mark Alexander (Providence, R.I.) finished with 10 points for Clark.

Junior guard Will Spont (Bellingham, Mass.) led WSC with 14 points.  Rembert added 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. 

Worcester State, which held a 47-29 advantage on the boards, also visited the lines 20 more times (14-for-31) than the Cougars (7-for-11).