BOSTON, MA (February 5, 2025) – Raphel Laurent (Peabody, Mass.) and Emanuel Zayas (Hollywood, Fla.) combined for 36 of the UMass Boston Beacons' (11-9, 6-6 Little East Conference)  87 total points in a crucial LEC tie-breaking victory against the University of Southern Maine Huskies (9-12, 5-7 LEC) to retain the fourth seed in the conference.

Five Beacons added double-figure scoring in a brutal battle to the finish from the Clark Gymnasium, as they outscored the Huskies 87-82 at the final buzzer to draw even in conference play. Laurent and Zayas scored 18 each, Xavier McKenzie (Lowell, Mass.) added 15, Tyler Victor (Brockton, Mass.) tallied 14, and Mark Barrett (Brookline, Mass.) piled on 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double as a Beacon in what was a total team effort.

Game Highlights:

First Half

• Zayas flied into the paint for the Beacons' first basket of the game.
• The initial five minutes couldn't identify a leader, with both teams deadlocked at 12 points following the Huskies' second three-pointer of the game.
• The Beacons broke the ice with six straight points, including back-to-back steals and scores from Barrett and Laurent, with Laurent throwing down a fastbreak dunk to get the Clark Gymnasium rocking.
• McKenzie kept the highlights coming with a three-pointer on the following possession, adding to the run.
• UMass Boston cruised to an 8-21 run over the following six minutes, jumping out to a 15-point lead with over eight minutes remaining in the first half. McKenzie's second triple would keep the Huskies momentarily at bay, before the Huskies closed out the half on an 18-4 run, cutting the Beacons' lead to just one at the halftime buzzer.
• McKenzie and Laurent led the way at halftime with ten points each, with Laurent nabbing two steals while a team-high +8 on the court. Victor was just behind them with eight points on 50% (4-8) field goal shooting.
• The Beacons scored 32 paint points, nine second-chance points, and eight on the fastbreak in the 40-point first-half outing.

Second Half:

• Zayas' first triple of the night put the Beacons in front by seven points in the early moments of the second half. From there, the Huskies remained within three possessions of UMass Boston for the ensuing five minutes in a back-and-forth thriller.
• At 11:42, the Beacons scored 11 unanswered to spark fire into the offense and jump out to a 13-point advantage following a pair of good free throws from first-year guard Davon Sanders (Mansfield, Mass.).
• The Huskies willed their way back into the game on an 11-4 run to remain within five points.
• With 1:21 remaining, the Huskies were behind by a single basket following an offensive putback, giving them 80 points to the Beacs' 82.
• With 34 seconds left and the Beacons up by a pair, Zayas walked down his defender with the clock winding down and iced a heavily contested mid-range jumper to put the Beacons safely ahead by four with ten seconds remaining. He converted 1-2 free throws in the final seconds to give UMass Boston a captivating win on their home court.

By the Box:

• Laurent's 18 points were just the beginning of his impact, as he finished with seven rebounds and swiped two steals.
• Zayas was instrumental in the win with 18 points, four assists (team-high) and a steal.
• McKenzie connected on three triples during his 15-point outing, with three rebounds and three assists, and was tied with two other Beacons with a team-high three steals.
• Barrett was a behemoth in the final box sheet. He finished with 12 points on 50% (6-12) shooting, with 11 rebounds, four assists, one block, and three steals in just under 28 minutes of action. With Barrett on the floor, the Beacons outscored the Huskies by nine points.
• Sanders was a menace on the glass, as he pulled in a career-high nine rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
• Scoring Breakdown: UMass Boston scored 62 paint points, 18 second-chance points, 12 on the fast-break, and 10 bench points in a statement victory from the Clark Gymnasium.

UMass Boston returns to LEC play on Saturday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. in Keene, N.H., against the No.22 team in NCAA DIII basketball (d3hoops.com), the LEC undefeated Keene State Owls, as the Beacons look to ground the Owls in their first conference loss of the season.