BOSTON – Suffolk's trio of seniors – Nate Hale, Alex Jacovides and Brendan Mulson – provided 80 percent of the Rams' offense to power the men's basketball to a 95-84 victory over Endicott Saturday afternoon at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 95 | Endicott 84
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-0) | Endicott (0-1)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Out of a 9-all tie, Suffolk went on a 7-1 run that featured five points from Jacovides to take a 16-10 edge and force Endicott to use a timeout. The huddle did not slow down the Rams, however, and slowly the distance grew to double digits, 25-15, at the 11:47 minute mark. 

Suffolk kept its foot on the gas pedal and pushed its cushion to as many as 17, 42-25, when Jason Mahoney converted on a free throw. 

Endicott would not go down without a fight and made moves in the final five minutes before halftime. The Gulls offense got going and outscored the Rams, 15-4, to make it a two-possession ball game at intermission, 46-40.  

The visitors run carried over into the opening minutes of the second stanza and just four minutes in the playing field knotted at 50-all. Jeff Juron used a timeout in an attempt to slow the Gulls down, however, Endicott flipped the script out of the break and went up 53-50.  

The Gulls clung to the lead over the next 10 minutes, going up by as many as six, twice. Suffolk's seniors kept the blue-and-gold within striking distance and made a move after an Endicott timeout with 6:57 remaining in regulation. First Mulson took advantage of a trip to the charity stripe. The pair of freebies that put the Rams in front, jump started an 8-0 Suffolk stretch that made it a 76-69 Suffolk ball game.  

Even with exchange of buckets the rest of the way, those eight unanswered points were the main catalyst to the Rams' 95-84 victory that was sealed at the free throw line.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• The threesome of Hale (20), Jacovides (34) and Mulson (22) scored 76 of the Rams' points.
• Jacovides' 34-point performance lead Suffolk's scoring. The senior shot 13-for-26 from the floor, did not miss at the foul line (5-5) and added eight rebounds, two assists and one steal to his stat line. 
• Mulson contributed 22 points, seven caroms, two dimes and two swats. 
• Hale registered 20 points, five boards, two helpers and two blocks. 
• Aidan Sullivan also had double figures with 11 points to go along with three boards and one set-up. 
• Suffolk shot 47.3 percent (35-74) from the floor and 80.0 percent (16-20) at the foul line. 
• Endicott edged out the Rams on the glass, 40-39.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk opens the season 3-0 for the first time since in the Jeff Juron era and first since lifting the lid on the 2009-10 campaign with four wins in a row. 
• The Rams entertained Endicott at Smith Court for the first time.
• Suffolk defeated the Gulls for the first time in the all-time series to level the series to 1-1. 
• Jacovides is the second player under Juron to produce back-to-back 30-point games. He is the is the first player to do so since Michael Hagopian accomplished the feat Jan. 28-Feb.1, 2016. 
• Jacovides had a career-highs in points (34) and field goals made (13). 
• Sullivan set a personal-best in points (11) and field goals made (4).
• Hale and Mulson each matched a career-best two blocks.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
Suffolk wraps up the home-and-home series with Endicott tomorrow, Sunday, March 7. The Rams tip-off against the Gulls in Beverly, Massachusetts at 12 p.m.