BOSTON, MA – Freshman guard Laniece Langford (Boston, MA/Jeremiah E. Burke) finished one assist shy of her first career triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston women’s basketball team over visiting Suffolk University, 64-63, this evening in a non-conference game at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of UMass Boston. The Beacons improve to 4-18 on the season, while the Rams fall to 12-10. UMass Boston was forced into 30 turnovers on the night, but managed to hold off a late Suffolk rally for the victory.

The Beacons seemed to hold a comfortable 61-48 lead with 2:13 left to play in the game, but the Rams closed out the contest with a 15-3 run, fueled by nine points from freshman forward Julianne Conrad (West Bridgewater, MA) and capped by a pair of three pointers from senior guard Emily Duquette (Harrisville, RI). Langford made the front end of two free throws to give UMass Boston a 64-60 lead with 15 seconds left, but Duquette rebounded the miss on the second try and dribbled up the court before draining a trifecta to pull Suffolk to within 64-63 with seven ticks remaining on the clock. Langford was fouled on the next possession for the Beacons, but failed to make the one-and-one free throw and freshman guard Mary Garon (Auburn, NH) came up with the rebound for the Rams and threw up a shot from just beyond half court that fell short as time expired.

UMass Boston scored the first five points of the game, but Suffolk ripped off 10 straight points to take its largest lead at 10-5 with 12:34 left in the first half. The Beacons responded with a torrid 20-3 run, paced by eight points from Langford, to take a 25-13 advantage with 3:06 to go in the opening half. UMass Boston maintained its lead and took a 30-18 margin into the intermission.

Conrad knocked down a pair of free throws with 18:53 showing in the second half to pull the Rams to within 30-23, but the Beacons outscored the visitors over the next eight-plus minutes, 22-9, led by a pair of treys each from freshman guard Evyn Gregory-Stewart (Edgewater, NJ) and freshman forward Molly Piette (Webster, MA), to take their largest lead of the night at 52-32 with 10:14 remaining in the game.

Langford also added a pair of steals and a block to her night for UMass Boston, while Gregory-Stewart finished with 17 points on 6-12 from the field, including 5-10 from three-point range and added six rebounds. Piette chipped in with nine points on 3-6 from the floor, including 3-4 from three-point territory in addition to an assist in 13 minutes off the bench.

Conrad led Suffolk with 20 points and grabbed five boards, made three steals, dished for two assists and blocked a shot, while senior forward Meghan Tracey (Rehoboth, MA) contributed with eight points, six rebounds and a pair of steals. Freshman guard Andorra Salaices (Franklin, MA) dropped in eight points, came up with three steals and handed out an assist as well.

The Beacons will be in action again when they host Plymouth State University in their home finale on Saturday, February 14 at 1:00 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center, while the Rams host Johnson & Wales University on February 17 at 8:00 p.m