GORHAM, Maine  – Emanuel Zayes and Ralph Laurent each scored 18 points to lead five players in double-figures as the UMass Boston Beacons outlasted the University of Southern Maine Huskies 87-82 in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at Clark Gymnasium.
Zayes was 8-for-18 for the Beacons scoring his final bucket in a pivotal moment for the Beacons.  Lauren was 8-for-14 with seven rebounds and two steals.  Xavier McKenzie added 15 points, while Tyler Victor tossed in 14 points and six boards.  Mark Battett had a double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore Brady Saunders (Brewer, Maine) led the way for the Huskies with a game-high 20 points, making 7-for-11 from the field, including 6-for-8 from three.  Junior Thomas Whelan (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) added 14 points and seven rebounds, while junior Diego Colon (New Braunfels, Texas) added 13 points on 3-for-5 shooting from three.  Graduate student Bryce Lausier (Glenburn, Maine/Hampden Academy) added his 15^th double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 11 boards.
The Records:
Southern Maine (9-12, 5-7 Little East)
UMass Boston (11-8, 6-6 Little East)
 
Series History:  Today's game marked the 115^th meeting between the UMass Boston Beacons and the University of Southern Maine Huskies. Southern Maine leads the overall series 69-47. Prior to tonight's game, the Huskies had won four straight over the Beacons. USM defeated the Beacons at home on Fifield Court 82-77.
 
 
 
How It Happened:

• With the game tied up at 12 after five minutes of action, UMass Boston outscored the Huskies nearly 3-1 with a 24-9 run over the next six minutes, the Beacons snagged a 36-21 lead with 7:41 to play in the opening half.  Laurent and McKenzie each scored six points for the Beacons in the run.
• Trailing by 15, the Huskies closed out the first half on an 18-4 run to make it a one-point game, 40-39, headed into the break.  The Huskies were 6-for-9 from the field in the final seven minutes of the half and were led by four points each from Whelan and freshman Evans Sterling (New Sharon, Maine/Mt. Blue).
• Whelan continued to score of the Huskies in the second half canning a three to give USM a narrow 42-40 lead on USM's first possession of the second half. However, both teams exchanged buckets and the lead over the next few possessions. The Huskies trailed UMB, 63-61, after a three from Saunders with 11:42 to go, but the Beacons rattled off an 11-0 run to grow the lead to 74-61 over the next 2:45 of action.  Five different Beacons scored in the run as UMB shot 4-for-6 from the field.
• UMB continued to stay in front by double-digits and led 80-67 on a layup from Laurent with just over five minutes to play before the Huskies rallied with a 13-2 spurt over the next 3:59 to make it a one-possession game 82-80 with 1:21 left in regulation.  Junior Diego Colon (New Braunfels, Texas) scored six of the Huskies' 13 points in the run, while Sterling added four as the Huskies were 5-for-8 from the field during the run, including 3-for-5 from three.
• Both teams traded buckets and Lausier kept the Huskies within striking distance with a driving layup for an 84-82 game with 34 seconds to play.  But the Beacons iced the game on their final possession as Emanuel Zayes hit a jumper over solid defense to push the lead back to 86-82 with 10 second to play. USM missed on its last possession, and UMB scored one of two free throws as the clock wound down for the 87-82 final.   

 
Inside The Stats:

• USM shot 48.4 percent (31-for-64) from the field and 42.4 percent (14-for-33) from three-point range. The Beacons shot 47 percent (39-for-83).  UMB led in rebounds 41-34, and had 16 offensive boards.  The Beacons scored 18 second chance points.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies return home against Wester Connecticut on Saturday, February 8 (2:00 pm). 
 
 
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