Senior Lamonte Thomas (Providence, R.I.) scored 46 points to lead the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats (9-11, 8-5 GNAC) to a 90-78 victory over the Suffolk University Rams (8-13, 5-9 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball action Thursday evening at the Regan Gymnasium.

Thomas, who entered the game leading all scorers in the nation among all NCAA players (Divisions I, II & III) with a 31.7 points per game average scored at least 40 points in a game for the third time this season.

Thomas single handedly carried the Wildcats in the second half scoring 31 of the team's 44 points highlighted by converting 14 of 18 shots from the free-throw line.

Suffolk came out slow in the first half as Johnson & Wales was able to take 46-33 lead into the break. Thomas had 15 points in the opening twenty minutes and was aided by senior Santino Cinotti (Rochester, N.Y.) who chipped in with nine points on 3-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Wildcats would come out of the break scoring the first five points of the second half as they built their biggest lead margin of the game with an 18 point difference with nineteen minutes remaining.

Suffolk was able to cut the deficit down to a six-point spread at the 10:24 mark as junior Colin Halpin (Melrose, Mass.) would connect on a pair of free-throws following a technical foul against the Wildcats' bench. However Suffolk would kill their own momentum on the next possesion getting flagged for a technical foul of their own. Thomas would make the Rams pay scoring the next nine points of the game, including hitting a pair of three-pointers to put the Wildcats up 72-57 with eight minutes remaining in the game.

Halpin finished the game a perfect 5-for-5 from the line as he collected 15 points on the evening. along with nine rebounds.

Junior Chris Torres (Brockton, Mass.) had a team-high 16 points in a losing effort for the Rams, while junior Matt Pepdjonovic (Quincy, Mass.) recorded his 16th double-double of the season with a 14-point, 14-rebound effort for the Rams.

Cinotti was the only other player for the Wildcats to finish in double-digits in scoring as he had 12 points on the evening connecting on four treys.

Thomas and the Wildcats were able to take advantage of 14 Suffolk turnovers on the evening converting them for 22 points, while the Rams were only able to score five points off the turnovers they created on defense.

Suffolk held a 43-38 edge in rebounds in the game, while the Wildcats outshot the Rams from the field 46.8 percent to 41.1 percent.

Both teams will be back in GNAC action on Saturday afternoon. Johnson & Wales will welcome the Norwich University Wildcats for a 1:00pm matchup, while Suffolk travels across town to take on the Emerson College Lions for a noon tipoff.