BOSTON – The Suffolk men's basketball team shot lights out on the long ball, shooting 50 percent from three-point range, to run past GNAC rival Rivier, 79-45, Tuesday night inside Regan Gymnasium.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 79. Rivier 45
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-9, 3-3 GNAC) | Rivier (1-12, 0-6 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk raced out to a 12-4 lead within the first five minutes to force a Rivier timeout. The lead quickly blossomed with 15, 21-6, with under 10 minutes to play in the first half. The Raiders made a quick run to pull within seven, but the Rams rebuilt a double figure cushion that ended in a 42-21 halftime advantage.
Over the second set of 20 minutes Suffolk did not let up and used its precise outside shooting, knocking down four triples to be exact, for a 56-28 advantage with 4:05 removed from the clock.
The score went into stalemate over the next 4:38 with the Rams ahead 58-33. Matt McLean broke up the draught with Suffolk's fifth three-ball of the half before Thomas Duffy lay in the blue-and-gold's first two-point field goal of the half to make it a 63-33 Suffolk game at 9:09.
Down the stretch Suffolk kept its rhythm to remain in front and hold on for a 39-45 victory.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Quinn McCartney had a day a perfect day to be exact with the senior shooting 6-for-6 from the field including a 2-for-2 performance from behind the arc to finish with 16 points. The forward was one rebound shy of his first collegiate double with nine.
- Michael Hagopian matched McCartney's 16-point output with a 6-for-12 day from the field and a 4-for-7 effort from three-point land. The sophomore added three assists and three caroms to
- Jim Djema joined McCartney and Hagopian in double figures with 11 as the sophomore went 3-for-6 identically from three and the field. He chipped in three handouts and two boards.
NOTEABLES
- The 24-point victory marks the largest margin for Suffolk against Rivier in the all-time series.
- The Rams improved to 21-14 all-time against the Raiders.
- Jamal Fiin (3 points) and Austin Prevost scored their first collegiate points. Prevost also grabbed his first rebound in his collegiate career.
- Warfa Abdillahi had a season-high in points (2).
POST-GAME PIC
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk remains at home for a Thursday, Jan. 12 tilt against Albertus Magnus a part of a GNAC doubleheader. The women's team takes on the Falcons first at 5 p.m., with the men set for a 7:15 p.m. tip-off.