CASTLETON, VT (January 22, 2025) – Senior captain Emanuel Zayas (Hollywood, Fla.) delivered a season-high 30 points, including three three-pointers, as UMass Boston (8-8, 3-5 Little East Conference) edged Vermont State University Castleton (3-13, 2-6 LEC) in a thrilling overtime win, their second OT victory of the season. The game featured five ties and five lead changes, keeping fans on edge until the final buzzer.
First-year guard Raphel Laurent (Peabody, Mass.) and senior Anthony Gauthier (Jaffrey, N.H.) each added 16 points, with Gauthier setting a new career high in an impactful performance off the bench.
Game Highlights
First Half:
- Junior guard Hector Perez (Easton, Mass.) opened the scoring for the Beacons, followed by a fastbreak dunk from junior Tyler Victor (Brockton, Mass.) off a Laurent steal to establish an early six-point lead. Gauthier's back-to-back layups at 10:45 extended the advantage to eight, but a 12-4 Castleton run tied the game at 31. Zayas reignited the offense with a deep three-pointer, but the Spartans closed the half on an 11-6 run, leaving UMass Boston trailing 41-38 at the break. Gauthier led the Beacons with 12 points in the first half, while Zayas contributed 11 points
Second Half:
- Zayas tied the game with a three-pointer to open the second half, sparking a 15-6 run that gave UMass Boston a 10-point lead at the 11:58 mark. Castleton fought back with nine unanswered points, narrowing the gap to one. The Spartans tied the game with a buzzer-beater to force overtime after chipping away at the Beacons' late lead.
Overtime:
- Zayas scored from the free-throw line to tie the game at 79 before Laurent and first-year Davon Sanders (Mansfield, Mass.) made clutch plays to reclaim the lead. Zayas sealed the win with a perfect 5-5 performance from the free-throw line, securing the Beacons' third conference victory of the season.
By the Numbers
- Zayas and Laurent Logged season-high 41 minutes, with Zayas adding eight rebounds to his 30-point performance.
- Laurent contributed 16 points and a career-high five steals.
- Gauthier achieved career-highs across the board, including points, rebounds, and minutes.
- Victor led the team with 11 rebounds and added nine points, a block, and a steal.
- Graduate forward Mark Barrett (Brookline, Mass.) posted seven points and a team-high four assists in 38 minutes.
- Sanders chipped in six points and three steals, providing key defensive stops.
- UMass Boston dominated in paint points (46-40) and fastbreak points (6-2).
What's Next
- UMass Boston continues its LEC road trip on Saturday, January 25, against Eastern Connecticut State (11-5, 3-5 LEC) at 5:30 p.m.
