Men’s Basketball Conquers Monks 77-60

NEWTON, Mass. (2/17/15) – The Lasell College Men's basketball team captured their second straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win against Saint Joseph's College on Tuesday night at the Lasell College Athletic Center, 77-60.  The loss drops the Monks to 12-12 overall and 10-7 in GNAC play, while the Lasers' record improves to 8-15 overall and 7-9 in the GNAC. 

Prior to the start of the game, the Lasers honored two seniors that have made a tremendous impact on the court. Senior guard Jeremy Daniel (Bridgeport, Conn.) has guided the Lasers all four years, leading the team with dedication and dependability. Classmate guard Mike Vallone (Wallingford, Conn.) has demonstrated relentless hard work and strong commitment to the team. Both Vallone and Daniel will be missed on the court, and we wish them well in their future endeavors. 

Freshmen guard Scott Arsenault (Walpole, Mass.) continued his strong performance from downtown, registering 18 points from 6-for-14 long range shooting. Junior forward Pat Marchand (Cranston, R.I.) assisted the Lasers by scoring 17 points and picking up 12 boards, earning his sixth double-double of the season. Senior guard Brock Walters (Jacksonville, Fla.) also recorded 17 points and five assists during the win, and junior guard Richard O'Brien (Manchester, N.H.) tossed in 11 points. 

The Monks' senior forward Zach Blodgett (Glenburn, Mass.) scored a game-high 19 points, while junior guard Craig Luschenat (Boston, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds. 

Saint Joseph's came out firing in the first half, taking the lead seven minutes into the game.  Arsenault brought the Lasers to the head of the pack with back-to-back three point shots during a 10-2 run, propelling the hosts ahead 16-9. 

Controlling the pace of the game, Lasell was able to keep Saint Joseph's to a 33-25 first half, forcing the Monks to turn the ball over seven times compared to the Lasers' two. 

The hosts held onto the lead until Saint Joseph's cut the deficit to eight with a three point shot from Luschenat with 14:06 remaining in the game (42-36).  With a pair of Marchand lay-ups and two Arsenault three pointers, Lasell expanded the lead to 22 with 6:40 left, 65-43.  The Lasers ended the game outscoring the Monks 77-60.

Lasell shot 47.4-percent (27-for-57) from the field, 38.6-percent (14-for-36) from the three-point range, and 69.2-percent (9-for-13) from the free throw line.  Saint Joseph's shot 45.8-percent (22-for-48) from the floor, 29.4-percent (5-for-17) from long range, and 47.8-percent (11-for-28) from the charity stripe. 

Lasell will travel to Boston, Mass. for a make-up game against Suffolk University on Thursday, February 19 with a tip-off at 7:00 p.m., while Saint Joseph's will host Johnson & Wales University at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 21.