BOSTON, Mass. (November 11, 2025) – UMass Boston men's basketball (1-1) came up just short in a 71-72 thriller against Salve Regina University (1-0) on Tuesday night at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.
A fast start from the sophomore duo of Cameron Perkins (Danbury, Mass.) and Raphel Laurent (Peabody, Mass.) gave the Beacons an early edge against a sharp-shooting Seahawks offense. Midway through the first half, a Perkins tip-in extended UMass Boston's lead to five (23-18), but the game remained tight down the stretch. In the final two minutes before halftime, the teams traded blows with two lead changes and three ties before heading into the break locked at 36-36.
Perkins paced the Beacons in the first half with 16 of their 36 points, shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Both teams were nearly even from the floor, as UMass Boston shot 45.5% (15-33) and Salve Regina hit 43.8% (14-32).
The second half proved to be just as competitive, with neither side able to create much separation. With 30 seconds remaining, junior forward Corrie Byrd (Cambridge, Mass.) battled on the offensive glass for a clutch tip-in that put UMass Boston ahead by two. However, Salve Regina's leading scorer connected on a late three-pointer to seal the one-point win for the visitors.
Perkins led the Beacons with a game-high 22 points, including four three-pointers on 50% shooting from deep, while adding eight rebounds, a block, and a steal. Laurent followed with 16 points, a career-high seven assists, and three steals on 50% shooting (8-16). Sophomore guard Davon Sanders (Mansfield, Mass.) added 13 points, going 5-of-7 from the free throw line while contributing two steals.
UMass Boston will look to bounce back on Thursday, November 13, when they travel to Salem State University for a 5:00 p.m. tipoff.
--LIGHT THE LANTERN--
