BOSTON – Suffolk men's basketball clawed its way out of near double-digit deficit, but a last-minute spurt by Wentworth ended in a 68-62 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) setback for the Rams Thursday night at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 62 | Wentworth 68
RECORDS: Suffolk (12-8, 7-7 CCC | Wentworth (8-13, 5-10 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The score tied four times and the advantage flipped twice over the first five minutes. Aidan Sullivan's jumper put the Rams in front 9-8. The junior's bucket was the first of seven straight Suffolk points that put the host ahead, 14-8 at the 13:52 minute mark.  

Wentworth hung in the balance and waited for just the right time to pounce. The Leopards found it with just under six minutes remaining in the first half as the visitors poured in eight unanswered points to reclaim the edge, 31-30.  

Jeff Juron used a timeout with 2:06 left in the opening half to help his team gain some composure. The huddle ended up helping WIT as it rallied out of the break on a half-ending 7-3 run to send Suffolk into the locker room down 38-33. 

As the Rams looked for a comeback the Leopards had other things in mind and made it a nine-point margin, 48-39, six minutes out of half time. 

Back-to-back buckets from behind-the-arc, one from Nate Hale and a follow-up by Conor Creane, looked to spark something up for Suffolk. In the story of the game Wentworth responded to the Rams' triples to put the blue-and-gold in a seven-point, 52-45, hole, two minutes later.  

A determined Suffolk did pull back and a traditional three-point play from Sullivan was the go-ahead the Rams needed 58-56, with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.  

The Rams clung to a 62-57 edge with 3:27 on the clock. Suffolk's scoring hit a halt in the final three minutes and Wentworth capitalized to flip the script and take the victory. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Hale had 15 points, four boards, two blocks, one assist and one steal off the bench.
• Cole LeVangie registered 14 points and six caroms. 
• William Rowe recorded 12 points, five boards and three takeaways. 
• Sullivan logged nine points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal. 
• Suffolk finished the evening shooting 38.7 percent (24-62) from the floor, 31.8 percent from 3-point range and 77.8 percent (7-9) at the line.
• The Leopards outrebounded the Rams, 41-34.  

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up its four-game home stay Saturday, Feb. 12 against Curry at 3 p.m.