BOSTON, MA (February 24, 2025) – Following their thrilling win in the Little East Conference Regular Season finale against the Vermont State University Castleton Spartans (74-71), the UMass Boston men's basketball team (13-11, 8-8 LEC) returns to the LEC Postseason Tournament for the 11^th consecutive season, as they play host to the University of Southern Maine (12-13, 8-8 LEC) on Tuesday (Feb. 25) from the Clark Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.

The Beacons finished the 2024-25 Regular Season with an 8-8 conference record. With the Beacons and Huskies sharing an 8-8 LEC record and splitting their head-to-head matchups, UMass Boston secured the LEC four-seed by going 1-1 against the LEC two-seeded Western Connecticut Wolves, compared to the Huskies who were 0-2 against the Wolves.

The Beacons have split the last eight games evenly between the Huskies (4-4), with the most recent victory coming earlier in February of this season, when the Beacs totaled 87 points and held the Huskies to 82. The Beacons won four of their final six games to close the season winning, including the final two consecutive games. The Huskies are 4-2 to close out their season, with three consecutive victories against the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs, the Plymouth State Panthers, and the VTSU Castleton Spartans. The Huskies are 6-7 on the road this season, compared to the Beacons, who are 6-4 on their home court.

The Beacons don a deep core of key contributors and a proven supporting cast in 2024-25. In the absence of standout rookie and the Beacons' top scorer Cameron Perkins (Danbury, Mass.) due to injury, Emanuel Zayas (Hollywood, Fla.), Raphel Laurent (Peabody, Mass.), and Xavier McKenzie (Lowell, Mass.) have shouldered the offensive load this season. Zayas leads the team in total points with 391 in 24 games (16.3 PPG), followed by Laurent with 309 in 24 games (12.9 PPG), and McKenzie with 258 in 17 games (15.2 PPG). Zayas and McKenzie are the team's leading sharpshooters, with Zayas lacing a team-high 69 triples this season, followed by McKenzie with 29. Graduate Mark Barrett (Brookline, Mass.) and forward Tyler Victor (Brockton, Mass.) lead the rebounding efforts for UMass Boston. Barrett has pulled down 138 total rebounds this season (20 offensive, 118 defensive, 5.8 RPG) to lead the Beacs on the glass, followed by Victor with 110 in 21 games. Barrett joins Zayas as the primary playmakers in 2024-25, each sharing the rock exceptionally well all season. The pair are averaging 3.6 assists per game (86 total), with Barrett dropping a career-high 10 assists against the Salem State Vikings. Barrett has dished out five or more assists in six games this season, as an underrated point forward for the Beacs. Zayas tallied a season-high nine assists versus Penn College in December, and has seven games this year with five or more assists. Barrett has an indistinguishable presence on the defensive end, leading the Beacons in blocks and second on the team in steals. He has 22 blocks and 40 steals through 22 games. The Beacons have several pieces on the bench who have bloomed in their roles this year, including Davon Sanders (Mansfield, Mass.), who averages 5.9 PPG, and 4.2 rebounds as a key spark on both sides of the ball for the second unit. Senior Anthony Gauthier (Jaffrey, N.H.) concluded the regular season with his first start with the Beacons, and made every moment count to secure his first double-double in the win.

The Huskies enter Tuesday's game averaging 83.2 PPG, with 38.2 rebounds, 14.6 assists, 6.4 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game. Offensively, they are led by Brye Lausier and Thomas Whelan with 22.4 and 22.1 PPG, respectively. Lausier is the LEC's second -leading scorer with 538 total points this season. Brady Saunders and Diego Colon support them with 4.7 PPG and 10.4 PPG respectively. Lausier leads the Huskies' rebounding efforts with 11.8 RPG, and is also the conference's second-leading rebounder. Lausier leads a deep Huskies cast in multiple categories as a key centerpiece for the Huskies' production on both ends.

As per the LEC Championship format this season, all tournament broadcasts will remain pay-per-view, with single-game passes available for $10$, 20$ all-tournament passes for all five tournament games for one sport, and 40$-50$ all-tournament passes. More information can be found here. Admission to Tuesday's game will remain free for spectators.

To follow along with the live broadcast, follow the link HERE. To follow along with live stat coverage, follow the link HERE.