BOSTON, Mass. – Powered by a 28 point performance from graduate student
Isaac Percy, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's basketball team picked up their first Little East Conference (LEC) win over UMass Boston on Tuesday, 93-74, from the Clark Athletic Center. The Corsairs are now 1-4 in conference play while the Beacons dropped to a 2-4 league record.
The Corsairs opened the conference tilt by knocking down three triples, one from junior
Josh Lopes and two from graduate student
Isaac Percy, to take an early 9-2 lead. Junior
Ryan Flauto added on the next five points for UMass Dartmouth to double their advantage to 14-7. Crossing the midway point of the first half, the Corsairs generated a 10-2 run featuring four points from Percy and a made three-pointer by junior
Nic Boyd to extend their lead to 28-13.
Emanuel Zayas clipped in a triple at the 8:48 mark for the Beacons, but first year guard and LEC Rookie of the Week
Camden DiChiara responded with a good jumper and triple to bump the Corsairs lead to 16 points. UMass Dartmouth ended the first half strong by outscoring UMass Boston 15-4 in the last five minutes of play to take a commanding 51-26 advantage over the Beacons heading into the break.
UMass Dartmouth started the second half by connecting nine straight points together which was finished off by a triple from Percy to give the Corsairs their largest lead of the game at 34 points. At the 15:09 mark, junior
Cam Dunbury finished a jumper for his first basket of the second half. A couple minutes later, graduate student
Jayquan Leonard sank a three-pointer to make it 72-40 Corsairs.
With 10:03 on the clock, Carson Meczywor banked in a triple to complete a 7-0 run for UMass Boston bringing the score to 75-49. The Beacons continued to battle generating momentum on offense to cut down UMass Dartmouth's lead to 15 points entering the final four minutes of the contest. Junior
Darius Peterson knocked down a late triple for the Corsairs to help secure their first Little East win defeating UMass Boston by a final score of 93-74.
Percy powered the Corsairs with his season-high 28 point performance going 10-for-16 from the floor highlighted by six made three pointers (6-10 3-FG) marking a new career-high for the veteran guard. He also hauled in three rebounds and dished out an assist in the win. Flauto recorded is second double-double of the season after scoring 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-6 FT) shooting 75.0 percent from the field and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Lopes posted 17 points (7-18 FG, 2-7 3-FG, 1-1 FT) to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Boyd also dropped double figures with 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3-FG) with four rebounds and a pair of assists. First year
Justice Buchannan scored his first collegiate basket in his second appearance for the Corsairs while Peterson produced his first points of the season on a good three-pointer.
The Corsairs return home for their next Little East contest on Thursday, Jan. 16 hosting the University of Southern Maine. The conference game is slated for 6:00 p.m. tipoff from the Tripp Athletic Center.
