Boston, Mass. - Four of the five starters of the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team, including a team-high 40 points from senior Jaqhawn Walters (Hartford, Conn.), scored in double-figures as the Falcons defeated Suffolk University, 88-84, Thursday evening at Regan Gymnasium in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action.
FINAL SCORE: Albertus Magnus 88 | Suffolk 84
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (15-4, 12-0) | Suffolk (11-9, 6-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening featured a pair of ties and two lead exchanges before Suffolk rattled off seven answered points to go up 15-9. Albertus Magnus took a timeout to regroup and rallied out of the break, stringing together nine consecutive points to swing the contest in its favor, 18-15.
The Rams hung around with the Falcons as the hosts pulled within four, 40-35, but the visitors put away the final five points of the half to send Suffolk into the break trailing, 45-36.
Albertus Magnus carried its run into the second to quickly build a double digit lead. Suffolk played catch up from there and trim the deficit to seven, 55-48, with 14:24 on the clock. Two minutes later, Suffolk cut the margin to one, 57-56, on a deep three. Shortly after, the Falcons rebuilt an eight-point cushion, but the hosts cut the lead to four, 80-76, with 3:09 to go.
The Rams managed to tie the game at 84-all with under a minute to play before the Rams sent Amir Maddred (Camden, N.J.) to the line for a pair of free throws. Maddred made the freebies and put the Falcons up two with 32 seconds remaining in regulation.
Junior Ryan Pittman (Stratford, Conn.) sealed the game at the line with a set of foul shots with 1 second on the clock for the final 88-84 decision.
NOTEWORTHY
- Following tonight's win, the Falcons are 8-3 on the road.
- Albertus Magnus leads Suffolk in the all-time series 25-15 with tonight's win.
- Walters double-double is his 11th straight, 16th overall.
- Maddrid, Pittman and Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, Conn.) shot 100 percent from the free throw line.
- Sophomore Hanif Bilal (Winston-Salem, N.C.) recorded the Falcons two three-pointers.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Albertus Magnus - 58.3% (field goal), 28.6% (three point) and 64.0% (free throw)
- Suffolk - 47.6% (field goal), 33.3% (three point) and 100% (free throw)
- Along with his 40 points, Walters collected 15 rebound, two assists and a steal while Maddred was the next Falcon to score in double-digits with 16.
- Suffolk was led offensively by both Thomas Duffy and Michael Hagopian who netted 27 points each.
- The Falcons won the battle on the glass, out rebounding the Rams, 34-30.
- This game saw six tie and four lead changes.
- Both teams posted 10 turnovers while the Rams registered a 13-12 edge in points off turnovers.
- Albertus Magnus dominated in the paint scoring 56 of its 88 points in the paint.
- Suffolk outshot the Falcons in the second half, 48-45.
- Perkins and Pittman rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Falcons with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
- Kevin Querusio led the hosts defensively with a team-high two blocks.
UP NEXT
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 27 as the Falcons host Norwich in a GNAC home tilt. The Rams are also home on Saturday against Regis (Mass.).