MBB: Lasell falls to league-leading Suffolk

BOSTON – Brendan Mulson scored a career-high 31 points Wednesday evening as Suffolk University defeated Lasell College, 93-75, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball game inside Regan Gymnasium.

Mulson was 11-for-16 for his 31 points, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. Steven DiPrizio put together a double-double effort of 16 points and 14 caroms, converting 6-of-7 from the floor, while Michael Hagopian contributed 15 points, and Alex Jacovides shot 5-for-9, including 4-for-6 from beyond-the-arc, to register 14 points.

Sophomore Kevin Nunez (Dorchester, Mass.) led Lasell with 27 points, one of three Lasers to score in double figures. Junior Stefan Masciarelli (Northbridge, Mass.) finished with 16 points, eight below his average, and sophomore Liam Jacobs (Plainfield, Conn.) added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

The league-leading Rams improve to 17-6 overall and 8-1 in the GNAC, while the Lasers drop to 6-18 overall and 4-6 in conference play, with one regular season game remaining.

Mulson supplied eight points to help the Rams build a 14-6 lead over the first eight minutes. Over that stretch, Jacovides added a spark off the bench. The sophomore knocked down the first three triples he attempted with the third coming at the 11:42-minute mark to turn it into a 21-7 game in the blue-and-gold's favor.

Lasell found its grove and began trading hoops with the hosts. After Jim Djema buried a bucket from behind-the-arc to stretch Suffolk's lead to 14 the Lasers went on a 7-0 run to trim the margin in half. The Rams responded with a pair of hoops from Djema and Steven DiPrizio to regain a double figures distance.

Lasell cut things back to single digits on its next possession, but would not get any closer as the Rams outscored the visitors 9-2 over the next three minutes to take its largest lead of the first frame, 41-25. It was a back-and-forth affair from there, which sent Suffolk into the locker room up 47-35.

Suffolk outscored Lasell, 15-5, in the first five minutes of the second half to push its advantage to 62-46. The Rams continued to pile on the points over the next three minutes as they went ahead by 24, 72-48.

The Lasers transitioned into a zone defense to force the blue-and-gold to beat them from outside. The defense adjustment paid off for Lasell, who pulled within 15, 77-63, at the midway point of the second stanza.

Eventually Suffolk found its grove from three-point land once again to rebuild a 22-point cushion, 87-66, with just over five minutes remaining regulation. It was cruise control from there for Suffolk, who coasted the rest of the way to lock up the league win.

Lasell travels to Anna Maria College on Saturday for the final game of the regular season (1:00 p.m.)  Suffolk welcomes Saint Joseph (Conn.) to Regan Gymnasium Thursday, Feb. 14 for the Rams' home finale.

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