BOSTON – The Rams faced a double-digit deficit with a minute left in regulation, closed the gap to three with seconds remaining, but ultimately saw its comeback fall short as Suffolk men's basketball fell to Endicott, 93-88, Tuesday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference action at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 88 | Endicott 93
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-3, 1-2 CCC) | Endicott (5-3, 3-0 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk built a 10-point, 14-4 cushion in the first five minutes with the double figure distance remaining, 20-10, in the blue-and-gold's favor at the 12:45 mark.   

The Gulls soared back with an 11-2 stretch that cut the edge to one, 22-21, before Rams graduate students Danny Yardemian and Evan Cook buried back-to-back buckets to restore the multiple possession margin, 26-,21, with 9:03 remaining in the first half.  

Out of a Suffolk time, Endicott poured in 10 unanswered to flip the scrip in its favor, 31-26. 

Jeff Juron used another timeout in the hope that it'd help his squad gain some composure. 

Cole LeVangie and Nick Verdile sandwiched treys around an Endicott hoop from downtown, however, the Gulls closed out the first half action with five straight points to send Suffolk into the locker room down seven, 38-31.   

The Rams continuously fell behind by 11 and fell in their largest hole of the night, 14 points, 81-67, with 4:16 on the clock. 

Yardemian and Keenan Robertson teamed up for an 8-3 run that put the blue-and-gold with in nine, 84-75, with just over a minute to go. 

Suffolk took the chance on the foul game and sent Endicott to the line to win it. The gambling paid off for the Rams as the Gulls hit just the front of its two-shot trips to the charity stripe. Scoring wise, Cook took offensive matters into his own hands. The guard connected shot-after-shot, in transition and a top-of-the-key three put the blue-and-gold within three, 89-86, with 12 seconds left.  

It would not be enough as Endicott took care of business at the line, going 4-for-4 in the final 10 seconds to hold off Suffolk's comeback.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Robertson registered 20 points. He shot 9-for-10 from the line and added eight boards, one block and one steal. 
• Cook finished with 19 points, 11 of which came in the final minute. He went 9-for-16 from the field and dished out four dimes. 
• Yardemian logged 13 points, nine caroms, three helpers and three takeaways.  
• Verdile recorded 11 points on a 3-for-5 showing that included a 2-for-3 effort from behind-the-arc. He added five rebounds, one assist and one steal. 
• Suffolk shot 43.6 percent (34-78) on the night, 30.4 percent (7-23) from 3-point land and 86.7 percent (13-15) from the free throw line.
• The Rams outrebounded the Gulls, 49-35.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes the next two weeks to prep for the Steve Moore Sunshine Classic in Winter Park, Florida. The Rams open action Tuesday, Dec. 19 against Wooster at 3:00 p.m.