BOSTON, MA (November 26, 2023) – The UMass Boston Beacons' men's basketball team was outlasted, from the Clark Gymnasium on the final day of the Black Collegiate Coaches Classic against the Bowdoin College Polar Bears, as the Bears clawed their way out of a second-half deficit to surprise the Beacons late in the game.

Junior guard Emanuel Zayas led the way for the Beacs offensively and served as the primary playmaker, scoring a team-high 21 points on 6-16 shooting to go with a team-high five assists. Junior forward Erik
Donaldson and sophomore forward Ish Fofana acted as a pair of anchors on the defensive end for the Beacons, as Fofana recorded a team-high 12 rebounds along with Donaldson's three blocks.

The Beacons and Polar Bears traded buckets to begin the first half, trading leads with each basket. The Beacons found some wiggle room to put together a nine-point run with five minutes remaining in the first.  First-year guard Hector Perez was lights out in the first, as he hit back-to-back threes to stretch the Beacon lead to nine. The Polar Bears were able to cut the lead back down to three with just under three minutes left, until baskets by Zayas and Donaldson stretched the Beacons' lead to seven heading into the break. The Beacons closed out the first having scored 34 points on 41% shooting from the field, and 33% percent from beyond the arc.

The second half started eerily similar to the first, with both teams trading baskets back and forth to find their groove. The Beacons were able to grow their lead to the highest it would with five minutes expired through the second half. Beacons led 34-46 before the foundation began to collapse from under them. The Polar Bears began taking chunks out of the lead with time winding down. Basket by basket, the Polar Bears brought the lead to within one with just under five minutes remaining. With the game tied at 58, Bowdoin's Andrew Szwez scored inside to give the Polar Bears their first lead of the game with under two minutes remaining. A
Kevin Reeves' fastbreak layup would seal the Beacon's fate on the 2023 BCCC, as the Polar Bears would take this one, winning 62-60 following a dramatic late push.

The Beacons fall to 1-5 this season and will return to action next Tuesday from the Clark Gymnasium against Rivier University (4-1). Tune into UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com) for live stats and video coverage.