MBK: Lasell outlasts Suffolk in overtime; Day, Nunez, Vanderhorst lead Lasers

NEWTON, Mass. – Lasell University outscored Suffolk University 13-0 over the final three and a half minutes of overtime Saturday afternoon to record a 94-83 victory in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball action at the Lasell Athletic Center.

Sophomore EJ Day (Norwalk, Conn.) scored eight of his game-high 33 points in the overtime surge, and junior Kevin Nunez (Dorchester, Mass.) added eight of his 26 points in the rally. Day also collected nine rebounds and five steals in the victory, while Nunez added six boards, junior Kevin Vanderhorst (Lawrence, Mass.) contributed 20 points and seven rebounds, and classmate Jonathan Friberg (North Attleboro, Mass.) was good for eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Freshman Jarret Byrne (Melrose, Mass.) and sophomore Brendan Mulson (Albany, N.Y.) hit baskets for Suffolk in the final 30 seconds of regulation to force the extra session, tied at 78-all. The Rams pulled ahead 83-81 early in overtime, but the Laser defense forced six turnovers in the final 3:41 and the Rams missed all five of their shots.

Mulson led Suffolk with 23 points and nine rebounds, while freshman Max Bonney-Liles (Hudson, N.H.) and junior Jonathan Eng (Wayland, Mass.) added 16 points apiece.

Neither team led by more than four points in a tightly contested first half, and senior Thomas Duffy (Fairfield, Conn.) made a half-court shot at the buzzer to give Suffolk a 44-41 lead at the break. The Rams pulled ahead by five midway through the second half, 59-54, but Lasell tied the score at 66-all on a Vanderhorst three-pointer with six minutes remaining. The teams went back and forth the rest of regulation to set up the overtime.

Lasell, 6-11, is one of three teams to start out 3-0 in the GNAC, along with Albertus Magnus College and the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.). Suffolk, which defeated the Lasers 90-64 in a non-conference game back in November, is now 9-8 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Lasell is back in action on Wednesday, January 29, at the Athletic Center, hosting Regis College in a GNAC affair at 7 p.m. Suffolk visits Johnson & Wales University Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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