The Suffolk University Men's Basketball team opened the 2013-14 season with a 95-84 victory over Western New England University as past of Connecticut College's Coaches Vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament.

Junior Sam Nwadike (Houston, Tx.) led all scorers with 30 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the field, while junior Matt Powers (Westwood, Mass.) netted 25 points on 6-for-8 shooting from three-point land to help pace a Suffolk offense that shot an even 50-percent (34-for-68) in the game. Suffolk was 10-for-25 as a team from beyond the arc for a 40-percent shooting clip in the game.

Western New England would come out strong early as they were able to open a 15-7 lead in the opening minutes of the game. Powers would break a 24-24 tie eleven minutes into the contest as Suffolk would not relinquish the lead from there in the remainder of the period. Suffolk would go on a 10-2 run midway through the first half that was capped off by one of Powers' four three-pointers in the period to build the Suffolk lead to double digits, 39-29.

Suffolk would hold on for a 44-39 edge heading into the break. Back to back layups by senior Dennis Rinaldi (Harrison, N.Y.) would cut the Golden Bears' deficit to one to open the second half, before a trey by Nwadike helped push the Suffolk spread back to two possesions.

Nwadike would roll off scoring nine straight points for Suffolk as Western New England continued to answer once again as they regained the lead with six minutes into the second half when senior Kevin Wilkes (Tory, N.Y.) connected a three-pointer of his own.

Both teams would continue to go back and forth exchanging leads until freshman Chris Williams (Bridgeport, Conn.) scored five straight points for the Rams giving them a 66-61 lead with ten minutes remaining. Two minutes later Williams would strike from beyond the arc to extend the Suffolk lead to double digits, 78-68 and they would not look back from there.

Williams scored eight of his game's 10 points in a three minute span during the second half that saw Suffolk take control of the lead and not let go.

The Golden Bears held a 50-36 edge on the glass in the contest as Rinaldi led all players with 18 boards in the game. Rinaldi finished with the double-double as he also recorded a team-high 21 points in the contest.

Sophomore Caleb Unni (Winchester, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points for Suffolk, while sophomore Jake Meister (Madison, N.J.) finished with a team-high seven rebounds.

The Rams will now move onto tomorrow's tournament championship game as they will take on Bard College at 4:00pm.