BROOKLYN -- Pratt Institute outscored The New School 34-21 over the final 13:40, which included a 12-0 run at the midway point of the second half, as the Cannoneers coasted to a 69-58 win in Johnny Lee's head coaching debut.
Sophomore Andrew Yaglenski led Pratt with 19 points on 7-16 shooting, and Bubby Vernon scored 11 of his 13 in the opening stanza of his first college game before his team shot 54 percent (15-28) in the second half in pulling away late.
For the Narwhals, guard Henry Gaskins led all players with 27 points, but outside of the senior's 7-14 shooting from the floor, the Narwhals converted only 31 percent (11-35), shooting 37 percent (18-49) overall.
Vernon's third triple of the first half opened up Pratt's largest lead yet, at 26-19 at the 2:51 mark, but Gaskins responded with a trey and a three-point play to trim the lead to 26-15. Cannoneers freshman Vladdimir Gomez beat the buzzer with a fadeaway bank from the right block, sending Pratt into halftime leading 28-25.
After a Gomez layup to open the second, back-to-back three-pointers from Narwhals forward Richard Supriano swung The New School back on top 31-30. Pratt's Mike Chen answered with a triple and a long two-pointer to retake the lead before Pratt scored 12 unanswered in 2:05 in a run that decided the game.
Clinging to a 39-38 lead at the 9:53 mark, Yaglenski started the 12-0 run in which four Cannoneers scored two or more points, and his team led by double figures the remainder of the way.
Gomez finished with nine points on 4-7 shooting, and fellow forward Tytus Millikan led Pratt with six assists, no turnovers, and five rebounds as the Cannoneers won the battle of the boards 38-34.
At 1-0, Pratt plays host to Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. in Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
