NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA (January 8, 2026) – Powered by a dominant first half and another elite performance from Cameron Perkins (Danbury, Conn.), the UMass Boston men's basketball team (8-6, 4-1 LEC) rolled to a convincing road victory over UMass Dartmouth (8-5, 2-2 LEC) in Little East Conference action at the Tripp Athletic Center.
The Beacons set the tone immediately, forcing turnovers on the Corsairs' first possessions and racing out to an early 11–6 lead behind buckets from Connor Walden (Marshfield, Mass.) and Perkins. UMass Boston's defensive pressure dictated the tempo, as sophomore standouts Raphel Laurent (Peabody, Mass.) and Davon Sanders (Mansfield, Mass.) each recorded steals and blocks in the opening minutes to stifle the Corsairs' offense.
Perkins caught fire midway through the half, drilling back-to-back three-pointers and attacking the rim in transition to spark a decisive run. Sanders added a thunderous dunk and a pair of assists during the stretch, while Clayton McLaren (Brockton, Mass.) and Walden chipped in with timely finishes inside. The Beacons extended their lead to double figures before the first media timeout and never looked back.
UMass Boston continued to pour it on, using active hands and crisp ball movement to build a commanding 39–23 advantage with under five minutes to play in the half. Perkins closed out the first half with a pair of free throws and a driving layup, sending the Beacons into the break firmly in control.
The momentum carried into the second half, as Sanders opened the scoring with another powerful finish at the rim, and Laurent followed with consecutive drives to the basket. Perkins remained relentless, scoring from all three levels and converting in transition to push the lead past 20.
UMass Dartmouth attempted to rally behind Danny Reyes, who connected on a pair of three-pointers and attacked the lane, but every Corsair run was answered. Skyler Venezia (North Haledon, NJ) knocked down multiple triples, including two late in the shot clock, and Sanders added another highlight-reel dunk to keep the Beacons comfortably ahead.
Midway through the half, Perkins buried a step-back jumper and then drilled a three on the next possession to effectively seal the outcome. UMass Boston continued to execute down the stretch, with Laurent, Walden, and Sanders finishing around the rim as the Beacons closed out the road win.
Perkins led all scorers with 35 points, adding double-digit rebounds to complete a dominant all-around performance, his third game this season with 30+ points. Sanders followed with 19 points, including two dunks, while Laurent chipped in 15 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Venezia finished in double figures as well, knocking down key three-pointers in the second half (3-4 3PT, 75%).
The Beacons' defense was the difference, forcing numerous turnovers and recording multiple blocks while holding the Corsairs in check for long stretches of the night.
UMass Boston returns to action on Wednesday, (Jan. 14) as the Beacons host the Plymouth State Panthers as they continue Little East Conference play.
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