BOSTON – Suffolk and Emmanuel battled back and forth at the Jean Yawkey Center Saturday afternoon but thanks to Emmett Riddick's lay-up with 24 seconds on the clock and a freebie from the freshman with four seconds remaining the Saints held off the Rams for a 56-54 GNAC win.
SCORE: Suffolk 54, Emmanuel 56
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-15, 5-9 GNAC) | Emmanuel (7-14, 6-8 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Kevin Querusio opened up the scoring on Suffolk's first possession of the day. The score evened twice before three quick hoops from Emmanuel put the rams in a 10-4 hole. Querusio jump started Suffolk's comeback with Michael Hagopian knocked down back-to-back treys to equalize the contest for the third time at 12-all at the 12:56 minute mark.
The score locked twice more before the Rams held the upper hand for good with 10:39 on the clock thanks to a pair of freebies by Cameron Powers. The Saints hung with the Rams and the tides turned with just over two minutes remaining in the half with the lead switching back to the hosts, 29-28.
Georgia Grillakis put Suffolk back in front with his first bucket of the afternoon, but Emmanuel put away the final two points of the frame to take a 33-31 edge into the locker room.
Similar to the opening, Suffolk scored the first hoop of the second half thanks to a three from Thomas Duffy. From there, Emmanuel rattled off seven unanswered points and the Rams found themselves in a six-point hole, 40-34.
With just under 15 minutes remaining, Jim Djema jump started Suffolk's surge forward with a layup. The Rams rolled from there with Duffy giving the visitors their first lead of the stanza, 42-41, and a long ball from Jonathan Eng regaining the edge, 45-43.
Suffolk remained out in front until Riddick's heroics in the final minute. Hagopian and Duffy each had winning opportunities for the blue-and-gold, but could not connect resulting in the Saints, 56-54 triumph.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Duffy led a trio of Rams in double figures with the rookie shooting 55.6 percent from the field to finish with 13 points. He added six boards and one steal to his effort.
- Hagopian and Djema recorded 10 points apiece. Djema also performed exceptional well on the glass, leading Suffolk with eight rebounds including six on the defensive end. The sophomore added three helpers to his stat line.
- Suffolk shot just 39.6 percent (21-53) from the field, 26.7 percent (4-15) from three-point range and 80 percent (8-10) at the charity stripe.
- Emmanuel, meanwhile, went just 35.4 percent (23-65) from the floor, 18.2 percent (2-11) from behind the arc and 72.7 percent (8-11) at the foul line.
- The Saints outrebounded the Rams, 45-31.
NOTEABLES
- Duffy led Suffolk offensively for the first time in his collegiate career.
- The Rams and Saints split their two-game regular-season series for the second straight season.
POST-GAME PIC
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk returns to Regan Gymnasium Tuesday, Feb. 7 when Lasell stops by Beacon Hill for a 7 p.m. contest.