The UMass Boston Beacons overcame a 10-point second half deficit to defeat the Suffolk University Men's Basketball team 79-68 at the Regan Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.
Four players finished the evening in double digits in scoring for the Beacons as junior Carl Joseph (Brockton, Mass.) led the way finishing with a game-high 17 points. Joseph was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line and was 3-of-4 from the floor in the second half to help pace the Beacon's offense and knocked in 14 points over the final twenty minutes of play.
UMass Boston would come out strong in the first half as they managed to push their largest lead of the contest at 16 points when freshman Ryan LaPaglia (Marshfield, Mass.) sunk back-to-back free throws at the 6:24 mark to make it a 32-16 Beacons' edge. Sophomore Omar Benabicha (Saugus, Mass.) would put in nine of his game's 14 points in the opening quarter as he was 2-for-3 from the field including a three-pointer at the nine minute mark which gave UMass Boston a 10-point edge.
Suffolk would close off the first half with a 13-1 run to get themselves back in the game as they switched over their defensive pressure and forced five turnovers in a six minute span. Freshman Frantz Pinard (Arlington, Mass.) would hit a pair of treys in the run, while sophomore Caleb Unni (Winchester, Mass.) added one of his own to cut the score heading into the break at 33-29.
The Rams would come out quick in the second half as they scored six straight points in the paints as junior Sam Nwadike (Houston, Tx.) struck on back to back layups to give Suffolk a 35-33 lead two minutes in period number two.
Suffolk would then get their biggest lead of the contest when sophomore Adam Chick (Northbrook, Ill.) connected on a three-point play, connecting on a layup and the ensuing free throw following the foul as the Rams took control of the game, 55-45 with ten minutes remaining in regulation.
UMass Boston would then turn it on going on a 23-4 run to regain the lead and seal control of the contest of the next seven minutes. Sophomore Jerard Mayes (Boston, Mass.) would score five straight points for the Beacons, including a jumper at 5:27 which gave them a 60-58 lead which they would not reliquinsh.
Mayes finished the evening with 14 points, while Benabicha and junior Gregory Young (Boston, Mass.) each added 14 points as well.
Nwadike finished the game with a team-high 16 points.
Pinard was Suffolk's best long range shooter on the evening as he was 4-for-5 from beyond the arc as part of a 14 point effort.
Freshman Matt Duquette (Swampscott, Mass.) finished the evening with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds before he fouled out late in the second half.
Suffolk held a slight edge on the glass in the contest with a 41-39 margin.
UMass Boston will be back in action this weekend as they host the 29th Annual Harbor Invitational. They'll open the weekend tournament with the College of St. Joseph's (Vt.) at 4:00pm on Friday. Suffolk is back in action on Sunday afternoon as they travel to New England College for a 1:00pm tipoff.