FITCHBURG, MA (November 19, 2024) – The Beacons' men's basketball team returns home Tuesday night from Fitchburg State with a hard-fought victory, outlasting a tight finish 59-58 against the Falcons for UMass Boston's second consecutive win.
The Basics:
UMass Boston 59 – 58 Fitchburg State
UMass Boston (2-1)
Fitchburg State (0-5)
How it Happened:
- The Falcons struck first with a three-pointer to open scoring in the first half. This score didn't sit well with the Beacs as they waited, snarled, and attacked on the defensive end.
- Nearly half the Beacon's roster had two to three steals which became apparent on the scoreboard as UMass Boston jumped to an eight-point lead with eight minutes to go in the first half. At halftime UMass led with a score of 26-21.
- The Beacons had the top scorers of the night. Xavier McKenzie (Lowell, MA) put in 20 points in 34 minutes of action, and Mark Barrett (Brookline, MA) complimented this with 15 points of his own through 32 minutes of play.
By the Numbers:
- The Beacon's were edged out in both field goal and 3-pt percentage by a slim margin, however the Falcons free throw shooting is what kept them in this game. They shot 84.6% from the line while UMass shot 36.8% from the stripe.
- Several team stats jammed this game log with lead changes throughout the contest. UMass Boston held the edge in points in the paint (32), points off turnovers (14), and second-chance points (12); meanwhile, Fitchburg St. saw more production from their bench, with 27 points from the second unit.
- The real story, however, is shown via the defensive aggressiveness shown by the Beacons. The squad put together 17 steals with only 10 turnovers resulting in 21 turnovers for the Falcons.
Who's Next?
- The Beacons will focus their spotlight on Milton, Mass. next Monday, November 25th. UMass Boston will travel for an away game against Curry College Colonels before the Thanksgiving break.
