BOSTON, MA (December 9, 2023) – The UMass Boston men's basketball team dropped their Little East Conference matchup against the Anchormen of Rhode Island College this Saturday afternoon from Providence R.I. The Beacons struggled early on against a steaming hot 8-2 RIC team, however, finished the game out in an honorable effort.

Junior guard Emanuel Zayas played all 40 minutes against the Anchormen, registering 26 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals in the effort, as he led all Beacons in scoring. Sophomore guard Clayton McLaren stepped up big for UMass Boston, as he contributed a season-high in nearly every stat category this evening, with 16 points including two three-pointers (2-3) in 22 minutes played, as well as two steals. Junior forward Corrie Byrd locked it down for the Beacons on the glass tonight, grabbing four defensive and offensive rebounds for a team-high eight rebounds to go with eight points and a block. Sophomores Alex Woolery and Dominic Shaw each registered seven points to go with two steals. The Beacons scored 11 second chance points, to go along with 20 points in the paint, and 16 points off Anchorman turnovers.

The Beacons started off the game by winning the tip and initiating scoring with a McLaren layup, assisted by Zayas to get things going for the Beacons. The Anchormen took advantage of their defense and size to force turnovers and produce second-chance opportunities that resulted in a 5-15 point run in favor of RIC. Halfway through the first half, the Anchormen had a commanding lead, up 16 to seven, before a Zayas three-pointer cut the lead to a two-possession game following a slow start from UMass Boston. The Beacons briefly took the lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half, up 17-16, until the Anchormen jumped out to another 13-2 run to give them a seven-point lead heading into the second half. The Anchormen shot 46% from the field in the first half, knocking down 13 of their 28 shots, while including two makes from downtown.

The Anchormen were able to maintain their lead throughout the beginning of the first half, with ten minutes expired, the RIC lead was still as high as 14 points with 12 minutes to go. The Beacons were ultimately unable to find their groove to force a late push toward victory, as the Anchormen would shoot 15-30 to close out the game. The Anchormen improve to 9-2 on the season, including an undefeated 3-0 in the LEC. The Beacons fall to 1-2 in the LEC following today's trip south.

The UMass Boston men's basketball program is back in action on Tuesday night, December 12 at 7:00 pm as they are hosted by conference opponents Salem State University from Salem, MA. Live stats and video coverage will be available at UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website (beaconsathletics.com).