BOSTON, Mass. - A defensive battle between UMass Boston Men's Basketball and the visiting UMass Dartmouth's men's basketball teams ensued on Wednesday night at the Clark Athletic Center as both sides posted season-low scoring totals, with the Beacons ultimately besting the Corsairs by a final score of 57-47.
 
THE BASICS
 
UMass Boston 57, UMass Dartmouth 47
 
UMass Boston (12-3, 5-1 LEC)
 
UMass Dartmouth (3-11, 2-4 LEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
As has been the case in many games this season, most of the Beacons' scoring output came from senior forward Malik Lorquet and freshman guard Xavier McKenzie. The senior-freshman duo combined for 43 of the team's 57 total points.
 
Lorquet continued his remarkable season-long turnaround at the free throw line with a 7-for-7 night from the charity stripe. His 23 points and 10 rebounds gave him his 12th double-double in 15 games this season, moving him into second place ahead of keeping him in an arms race with fellow Boston-area hooper Jarred Houston of Emerson College for the second most in all of NCAA DIII this season. Houston also posted his 12th double-double on Wednesday night.
 
McKenzie enjoyed an efficient night from the field, knocking down eight of his 15 attempts, none of which came from beyond the arc. Wednesday marked the fifth 20-point game of McKenzie's freshman campaign, and his third in the team's last five games.
 
A season-low 57 points from the Beacons was more than enough to hold off a UMass Dartmouth team that was averaging 74 points per game coming into the matchup. The Boston defense was overwhelming, holding the Corsairs to 47 points on 29.2% shooting, season-lows for UMass Boston opponents. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• The Beacons' eighth straight victory ties the longest winning streak in program history, matching the 1984-1985 squad
• Wednesday night was the third game in the last five in which Malik Lorquet and Xavier McKenzie have each posted 20-plus points
• The Beacons have not committed more than 15 turnovers in any game during their win streak
• UMass Boston needed just two made three-pointers to defeat UMass Dartmouth, their fewest in a game since February 5, 2022
• With 10 more rebounds added to his career total, Malik Lorquet moves 81 rebounds away from tying the all-time program record of 788 set by Terry Kennedy

 
WHO'S NEXT
 
The Beacons will go for a program-record ninth straight win when they welcome number four nationally-ranked Keene State to the Clark Athletic Center for a 3:00 PM tip-off on Saturday, January 14.