Men’s Basketball Opens the Second Half with Loss to UMass Boston

Framingham, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Boston men's basketball team received a combined 40 points and 25 rebounds from juniors Gregory Young (Boston, Mass.) and Carl Joseph (Brockton, Mass.) as the Beacons defeated Framingham State University 76-68 this evening in non-conference action at Framingham's Athletic Recreation Center.   

With the win, the Beacons are now 5-5 on the season, while the Rams slip to 4-7.

Young and Joseph scored a game-high 20 points apiece for the visitors.  Young finished the night with a double double as he grabbed a team-best 16 boards, while Joseph narrowly missed a double double with his nine caroms.  Sophomore Omar Benabicha (Saugus, Mass.) was the only other Beacon to record double figures as he finished with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists.

The Rams had four players land in double figures with sophomore Joe McCabe (Canton, Mass.) leading the way with 12 points on 3-of-9 from behind the arc, while junior George Jordan (Worcester, Mass.) and sophomore Tim McCarthy (Wilmington, Mass.) chipped in with 11 apiece.  Freshman Charles Collins (Lynn, Mass.) finished the night with 10 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while junior center Patrick Cuff (Medway, Mass.) grabbed a game and career-high 17 rebounds including 10 off the offensive glass.

The first half saw three ties and five lead changes with the Beacons taking a one point advantage (32-31) into the locker room.  The Rams started the game 3-for-3 from long range and jumped out to a 15-5 lead with just over 15 showing on the clock. UMass Boston responded with a 13-3 run over the next five minutes to tie the game at 18-18.  Joseph paced the Beacons with six points on the spurt. 

The two teams would trade the lead over the final ten minutes of the first. Joseph put the Beacons up three with 1:29 left in the frame, but a put back from Cuff cut the deficit to one at the break for the Rams.

UMass Boston maintained the lead throughout the second half, extending it to as many as 10 (61-51) with just over 10 minutes remaining.  The Rams chipped away at the lead pulling within three on a pair of occasions including on a Cuff put back with 2:36 on the clock.  Collins followed with a layup in traffic to cut the Beacons lead to one at 68-67. 

A Young free throw put the Beacons back up two with 1:47 on the clock.  Joseph followed with a huge block that prevented the tying bucket in transition from the Rams.  The Rams were forced to foul and the Beacons connected on 7-of-8 from the line in the final 1:18 to seal the win.

The Rams begin conference action on Thursday evening at Westfield State University at 7:30 p.m., while the Beacons return to the hardwood on Saturday afternoon at Eastern Connecticut at 3 p.m.