BOSTON, MA (January 11, 2025) – Senior captain Emanuel Zayas (Hollywood, Fla.) and first-year Raphel Laurent combined for 36 of the Beacons' 71 points in the Beacons' weekend conference contest against the Little East Conference number-two-seeded Keene State Owls.

The Basics:
UMass Boston 71 – 82 Keene State
UMass Boston: 7-6, 2-3 LEC
Keene State: 9-3, 4-0 LEC

How it Happened:

• Keene State scored the first 10 points unanswered, but the Beacons shook the deficit and retook the lead (13-14) off Connor Walden's (Marshfield, Mass.) finish in the paint just before the 10-minute mark. Zayas scored seven points in four possessions to give the Beacons their largest lead of the game at five points with under seven minutes to go. At the halftime horn, UMass Boston trailed Keene State 25-34 .
• The Beacons kept the gap to within ten points for a stretch in the second half, but Keene State extended their lead to 19 with two minutes to go. The Beacons showed signs of life with a nine-point unanswered run to conclude the game, but the hole proved too steep to escape as Keene State remains undefeated in the LEC, and the Beacons look ahead to next week.

By the Numbers:

• It was an all-around effort for UMass Boston's captain. Zayas poured in team-highs in points (19),  rebounds (eight), assists (five) on a season-high seven made field goals with a career-high six steals.
• In his first collegiate start, Laurent finished just behind Zayas in points, scoring a career-high of 17 (8-14 FG, 57%), complemented by four rebounds and one steal.
• Walden contributed a season-high 12 points in 17 minutes off the bench to go with five rebounds.
• Junior forward Tyler Victor (Brockton, Mass.) continues to settle into his role, as he added a solid nine points (4-5 FG, 80%), five rebounds, and one steal in 30 minutes during his seventh collegiate start.

Who's Next:

• The Beacons will look to bounce back against the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs in another Conference matchup next week on Tuesday, January 14, from the Clark Athletic Center at 4:00 p.m.