As junior center Linus Helmhold stepped to the free-throw line, some opposing fans attempted to distract him by barking like dogs. Antics like that did little to deter Helmhold and the Emerson men’s basketball team, who marked their territory and defended home court with a 92-81 win over Clark University on Feb. 8. This win over the No. 2 team in the NEWMAC brought them to 9-12 overall and 4-8 in conference play.

“We’re Lions—it’s hard to kill a lion,” sophomore forward Guillermo Gasset-Ruiz said when asked about the team’s mentality amid recent losing skids. He led the team with 19 points on 7/9 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers.

“We’ve got to stay alive, fight, stick together, and good things will happen,” he added.

The Lions started off with a 7-2 lead at the 17:53 mark, all seven courtesy of graduate guard Trevor Arico. A two by junior guard Jacob Armant gave Emerson a 15-7 lead with under 12 minutes remaining, forcing Clark to call a timeout. Just when the Lions began to pull away, consecutive Clark triples brought the deficit to one, 19-18, with nine minutes remaining.

The Lions extended their lead again, though the Cougars were in hot pursuit. After Clark drilled a three to get within one, the Lions went on a 9-0 run for a 38-28 advantage with two minutes left, a three by sophomore forward Shay Roban forcing a Clark timeout. After the Cougars missed a pair of threes, the third time was the charm with 45 seconds left. Emerson went into the locker room with a 38-31 lead.

The second half was nothing short of a showdown from downtown, as both teams got hot from three-point range. The Lions led 50-37 after a corner three by senior guard Lucas Brenner with under 17 minutes remaining. A pair of Cougar threes got Clark within seven a minute later. Sophomore guard Ray Allen III converted a layup with 14:52 left, informing his defender he was “too small” afterward. First-year forward Giulio Volonte found Helmhold for a two-hand slam, and the Lions led 56-49 with 13 minutes remaining.

Clark continued to cut into Emerson’s lead, even as the Lions double-teamed the Cougars in the backcourt. A critical triple by Roban put Emerson up 75-69 with under six minutes left. Gasset-Ruiz’s third three gave the Lions an 83-73 lead with over three minutes to go. Emerson kept a double-digit lead down to the final minute, when Clark swished a three with 56 seconds remaining.

As the Lions called a timeout, Brenner tried sneaking into Clark’s huddle but was promptly shoved away by two Clark players. The dust-up resulted in double technical fouls on Brenner and one of the Cougars, though the game continued without incident. Another Cougar three dwindled the lead to seven with 52 seconds left, but the comeback came too late for Clark. The Lions iced the game at the free-throw line and walked away with their fourth NEWMAC win of the season.

Aside from Gasset-Ruiz’s season-high, Armant tallied 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Arico ended with 13 points on 5/8 shooting, while Helmhold and Brenner scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

“The way I score is off my teammates, so I just have to thank them,” Gasset-Ruiz said. “We executed very well. I hit my shots, which helps. And we stuck to the game plan and got the much-needed win.”

Gasset-Ruiz said the team simulated Clark’s full-court pressure by playing five against seven in practice, adding, “We were ready this time. In my career, they beat us three out of the four times we’ve played them, so I’m happy we got this one.”

Head coach Bill Curley said mental toughness was the difference between this matchup and their January meeting.

“The effort they had mentally was just as good as physical,” he said. “Clark’s got some incredible players, incredible athletes. They’re big and strong, and our guys, they came in, they stayed together as a pack, and matched their intensity and physicality.”

Curley was also proud of Helmhold’s growth this season. The 7-foot junior started in place of senior center Asher Gardiner, who missed the contest due to an illness.

“We definitely missed Asher’s physicality out there against a team like that,” Curley said. “But [Helmhold has] been getting better, and we said that from day one. I wish we had him for a few more years, because we have to get him the way we want to get him. He’s better now than he was in September when he came here. He’s better than he was in January. He’s still got a ways to improve, and he’s a willing worker.”

“I don’t know if he truly believed in himself as much as we believe in what he can do,” he added.

Curley was also impressed with Gasset-Ruiz’s performance, particularly his shot selection.

“He doesn’t force any shots, and that’s how we need him to play to compete with the best teams around,” he said. “He’s a little bit reluctant because he’s so unselfish … He’s got so much skill, IQ, and competitiveness, and [I’m] just really happy for him out there.”

Curley singled out a key rotation player who has shone lately: Shay Roban, who recorded eight points in 13 minutes off the bench.

“We were subbing in him for defensive purposes tonight,” Curley said, unable to contain his smile. “So that’s how far he’s come around, where he’s not overthinking, he’s aggressively attacking the glass, he’s looking for his shot, he’s making passes. He’s a guy we’re very high on, and for him to come through his injuries and start to get into this flow has been tremendous.”

Curley added that such marked improvement from rotational players has made it difficult for him to find minutes for everybody.

“It’s been a big puzzle, we’re trying to put it together,” he said. “And we have the pieces to beat everybody—that’s the beauty of it. I truly believe we can win this whole thing, but not if we don’t show up, and not if we don’t play for 40 minutes.”

With only four regular-season games left, Curley has emphasized consistency going forward.

“Every night’s a war here, and if you don’t show up, you’re going to get your butt whooped,” he said. “Winning is hard, even against non-conference teams. You can’t just walk out because we did something. You’ve got to show every day and prove it and earn your stripes.”

Despite their 4-8 conference record, the Lions are eyeing another late playoff push. Last year, they lost their first four NEWMAC contests before going 6-6 in their last 12 conference games, earning the sixth and final spot in the playoffs. Gasset-Ruiz believes staying together will lead to stacking wins and another postseason berth.

“Stick to the course, keep playing together, and we’ll win games,” Gasset-Ruiz said. “We’ll make it to the playoffs.”

The Lions head to Cambridge, Mass., next to take on the MIT Engineers on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.

“It’s not a marathon anymore, it’s a two-week sprint,” Curley said. “We said from day one, we’re going to be a lot better by the end of the year. When it clicks, you can see what we’re capable of.”