The Suffolk University Men's Basketball team opened the second half of their season with a 85-80 victory over the Emerson College Lions in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon. 

Junior Sam Nwadike (Houston, Tx.) finished the day with a team-high 21 points to help pace a Suffolk offense that shot 48.5-percent (32-for-66) from the floor. Nwadike was  8-fof-12 shooting from the field in the contest.

Sophomore Jake Meister (Madison, N.J.) chipped in with 17 points off the bench, while junior Matt Powers (Westwood, Mass.) added 13 points in a reserved role for the Rams who improve to a 4-6 overall mark on the season.

The loss drops Emerson to a 6-4 overall mark on the season. Saturday's game was the Lions' first contest since knocking off the nation's number 1 team, Amherst College, 90-79 back on December 7th.

Nwadike would have a big first half performance as he scored 14 of his points in the opening frame. Nwadike would score nine consecutive points to give Suffolk a 37-36 lead with two and a half minutes to go in the first half. Meister would help add to the scoring pace for the Rams as he knocked in their final seven points of the period to give Suffolk a 44-42 edge heading into the break.

Both teams would go back and forth throughout the majority of the second half when junior Eli Kell-Abrams (Berkely, Calif.) made it a one-point game with a three-pointer with five minutes remaining in regulation at 66-65. Powers would answer with a layup as Suffolk would then go on a 14-3 run in a three-minute span to give the Rams' their largest lead off the contest, 80-68 with a little less than three minutes remaining.

With less than a minute remaining in the contest, sophomore Michael Thorpe (Newton, Mass.) would connect on a three-pointer to make it a two possession game at 82-77 before Nwadike capped off the Rams' victory making both of his free-throw attempts.

Sophomore Brian Hurley (South Boston, Mass.) finished the game leading all scorers with 28 points for the Lions and also finished the game with a team-high nine rebounds.

Suffolk held a 37-28 edge in the game on the glass. Sophomore Adam Chick (Northbrook, Ill.) finished with a team-high nine rebounds for Suffolk as he also chipped in with eight points on the afternoon.

Powers scored 11 of his games 13 points in the second half for the Rams.

Suffolk will now be back in action on Tuesday evening as they host Anna Maria College at the Regan Gymnasium at 7:00pm.