HARTFORD, Conn. – Powered by a 21-point effort from senior guard
Nic Boyd, the UMass Dartmouth men's basketball team defeated Suffolk University, 80-69, on Wednesday afternoon in the Consolation Game of the Trinity Holiday Tournament hosted by Trinity College (Conn.). The Corsairs improved to a 6-4 overall record with the win over the Rams who dropped to a 6-5 mark on the year.
The Corsairs trailed early in the game despite good baskets from sophomore guard
Camden DiChiara and first year guard
Mahdee McNair. Sophomore guard
Danny Reyes posted back-to-back layups for his first points of the afternoon to make it 11-8. Shortly after, Boyd kicked off a 10-0 run with a step back jumper to put the Corsairs up 18-14 at the 10:00 mark of the opening half.
Boyd continued to power UMass Dartmouth's offense scoring six straight points before dishing a pass out to McNair who drained a triple to cap off a 9-2 run. Senior center
Cam Dunbury laid in his first basket of the contest after collecting a loose rebound to extend the Corsairs advantage to 30-23. Dunbury then posted a jam off the assist from first year guard
Jesse Basse followed by a driving layup from sophomore guard
Isaiah Makor to maintain a six-point edge. McNair scored the last five points in the half to take a 40-35 lead into halftime.
UMass Dartmouth came out strong to start the second half, going on a 6-2 run highlighted by four points from senior center
Ryan Flauto. Reyes clipped in a shot from long range off the feed from Boyd to pull away with an 11-point advantage. Approaching the final ten minutes of the contest, the Corsairs produced nine unanswered points kicked off by a Boyd triple and finished with a good basket from senior guard
Darius Peterson.
After McNair converted a bucket on a fast break to make it 66-51, the Rams went on an 11-2 run to make it a 68-62 game with under five minutes remaining on the clock. Reyes and McNair each recorded a basket to maintain a seven-point cushion over Suffolk. UMass Dartmouth went 6-for-6 from the free throw line to go along with a late tip-in from Flauto to seal the 80-69 victory over the Rams from the Ray Oostong Gymnasium.
Boyd dropped 21 points (8-15 FG, 3-5 3FG, 2-2 FT) in the win, marking his third 20-plus point performance, to go along with six rebounds, four assists, and a steal. McNair finished the day with 18 points (8-12 FG, 2-3 3FG) while recording a team-high three steals and five boards. Reyes also posted double figures with 17 points (6-14 FG, 1-4 FT) and lead the squad with four made three pointers (4-6) as well as six assists. Flauto hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds in addition to eight points (4-8 FG), two assists, and a steal.
UMass Dartmouth returns to the Tripp Athletic Center for their next non-conference tilt hosting MIT on Saturday, January 3
rd slated for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff.
