BOSTON, MA – Freshman guard Chris Milton (Milton, MA) netted a season-high 21 points to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston men’s basketball team over Suffolk University, 88-64, tonight at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of UMass Boston. The Beacons improve to 2-3, while the Rams fall to 0-5.

UMass Boston held Suffolk to just 34.8% (24-69) shooting for the game, while making 55.6% (15-27) of its own shots in the second half to pull away for the victory.

Sophomore guard Allan Ray (Lynn, MA) made a lay-up with 18:41 to go in the first half to give the Rams a 5-4 edge, but that would be the last lead they would enjoy as the Beacons later took a 7-5 lead on a lay-up by sophomore forward Anthony Raines (Roxbury, MA) at the 17:57 mark. UMass Boston maintained a 12-11 margin, before going on a 20-9 run, capped by a three-pointer from sophomore guard Anthony Brewster (Boston, MA/John D. O’Bryant) with 8:27 remaining in the opening half to give UMB a 32-20 advantage. The Beacons led by as many as 15 points, before heading into the break with a 48-35 lead, thanks to an 18-4 advantage on points off 10 Suffolk turnovers.

Freshman guard Mike Gibbons (Ringwood, NJ) drained a three-pointer to open the second half for the Rams to pull them to within 49-38 at 19:25, but UMass Boston put together a 20-10 stretch, led by seven points from Milton, to take a 69-48 lead with 9:09 to go in the contest. Suffolk never got closer than 19 points and the Beacons led by as many as 27 the rest of the way.

Milton was 8-15 from the floor for UMass Boston and added three rebounds, two steals and an assist and was the recipient of most of senior point guard A.J. Titus’ (Roxbury, MA) career-high matching 10 assists. Titus also netted 14 points for his first career double-double in addition to six rebounds and a steal, while sophomore forward Pat Joseph (Queens, NY) posted a double-double of 10 points and a game-high 11 boards to go with two assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Raines contributed with 11 points on 5-9 from the floor and added five rebounds, an assist and a steal and sophomore center Julius Byrd (Lynn, MA) chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.

Gibbons finished the night with 14 points, while hitting 4-9 from three-point range and adding a steal for the Rams. Senior forward Brian Small (Stoughton, MA) dropped in 13 points, pulled down six rebounds and dished for four assists and freshman forward Matt Connelly (Medfield, MA) chipped in with eight points, five rebounds and three blocks.

The Beacons will be in action again when they host Little East Conference foe Rhode Island College on Saturday, December 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center, while Suffolk hosts Albertus Magnus College on December 6 at 2:00 p.m

- Courtesy of UMass-Boston Athletics