BOSTON, Mass. - Behind an impressive four double-digit scorers, including a team-high 18 points from senior Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, Conn.), and a double-double from Terry Dawkins (Bronx, N.Y.), the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team defeated the Saints of Emmanuel (Mass.) College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) showdown by a final score of 87-82 on Saturday afternoon inside the Jean Yawkey Center. 

Behind his 18-point performance, Perkins became the 17th player in program history to join the 1,000 career-point club. Prior to today's game, Perkins was just 17 points shy of the personal milestone. Dawkins finished the game registering his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. 

MBB: Congratulation to @AlbertusMBB's Tyreek Perkins, who scored his 1,000 career point following the made basket against the @ECSaints at the 2:00 minute mark.

He became the 17th player in program history to join the 1,000-point club.#fearlessfalcons #thisisFalconawesome pic.twitter.com/NBLqXAoCEI

— Albertus Magnus Falcons (@AMCAthletics) January 15, 2022

THE BASICS
Final: Albertus Magnus 87 | Emmanuel (Mass.) 82
Records: Albertus Magnus (6-3, 4-1) | Emmanuel (9-4, 5-2)    
Box Score

HOW IT HAPPENED 
The Saints started the game hot, racing out to a 7-2 lead just two minutes into regulation. The Falcons then responded with a 6-2 run, behind two points from Mekhi Warren (New Haven, Conn.) and four from Perkins, to cut the early deficit to one, 9-8. The teams battled back-and-forth from there, with neither side able to gain the advantage, before a Justice Washington (Hamden, Conn.) lay-up tied the game at 17-all, with just over 14 minutes remaining in the first half.  

The Saints countered the tie with an 8-4 run to take the 25-21 lead over the visiting Falcons. Washington made his inside presence felt, scoring all four of the Falcon's points during the hosts' run. Shortly after, the Falcons retaliated with their own 8-4 run to re-tie the game at 29-all with nine minutes remaining in the first half. Dawkins contributed six of the visitors' points, while Davon Warner (New Haven, Conn.) nailed a two-point jumper from just inside the arc.  

Dawkins continued to menace the Saints under the boards, putting in a pair of lay-ups, while Isaiah Lewis (New Haven, Conn.) put in his first lay-up of the afternoon, giving the Falcons a three-point cushion, 35-32, with 7:28 left on the clock. However, a Falcons' foul on a three-point attempt allowed the hosts to tie the game at 35-all, as the Saints hit all three of the free throws.  

Over the next few minutes of play, both teams continued to battle offensively as a three-point play from Lewis gave the Falcons the 40-37 lead, before a Saints' lay-up made it a one-point game, 40-39. A Saints' three-pointer was immediately countered by the Falcons' Rob Tindley (Lawnside, N.J.), as the senior point guard swooshed a long trey to make it a two-point game, 44-42.  

A Saints jumper immediately erased the lead and tied the game at 44-all, with just under four minutes to play in the half. The Falcons offense took care of business from there, closing out the half with an 11-4 run to take a 55-48 lead into the halftime break. Warner contributed five points, including a long three-pointer, while Tindley put in two points and Kevin Crawford (Bridgeport, Conn.) added four points on a pair of lay-ups.   

The Saints came out of the break to play, putting together a 7-6 run to pull within six of the Falcons, 61-55. A Warner three-pointer sparked a 7-1 run that gave the Falcons their first double-digit lead of the day, 68-56, with 14:24 remaining in regulation. The Saints battled back with a quick 4-0 push behind a jumper and a pair of made free throws to make it a 68-60 game.       

Albertus responded with a 6-0 surge to push their advantage back to 14, 74-60 with 11:28 remaining in regulation. These would be the last points Albertus would score for a while, as the Saints exploded for a 12-0 run that made it a two-point game, 74-72, with 7:19 left on the clock. 

Crawford got the Falcons back on track, as the sophomore guard put in an easy lay-up to extend the Albertus lead to four, 76-72. The teams traded free throws, before a 6-2 Saints run tied the game at 80-all, with 2:33 left on the clock. 

Back-to-back lay-ups from Perkins and Dawkins at the two-minute mark gave the Falcons an 84-80 lead. The Saints responded with a pair of made free throws before Albertus took control of the ball via free throws and held on to win an 87-82 thriller.     

TEAM STATS 

• Albertus:  47.3 % FG |  33.3 % 3PT | 56.5 % FT
• Emmanuel: 48.3 %  FG | 38.1 % 3PT | 69.2 % FT

KEY PERFORMERS
Albertus:

• Tyreek Perkins - 18 points (8-12 FG, 1-2 3PT, 1-4 FT) | 5  rebounds |  6 assists |  3 steals
• Terry Dawkins - 16 points (8-11 FG) | 11 rebounds | 1 assist | 1 steal
• Isaiah Lewis - 12 points (3-5 FG, 0-1 3PT, 6-8 FT) | 2 rebounds | 1 steal
• Davon Warner - 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-1 FT) | 1 rebound | 3 assists | 2 steals

Emmanuel:

• Donte Pope - 19 points (7-12 FG, 0-1 3PT, 5-6 FT) | 8 rebounds | 1 assist
• Bryant Ciccio - 15 points (5-11 FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-6 FT) | 3 assists
• Zach Crisafulli - 10 points (3-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, 3-5 FT) | 4 rebounds | 4 assists | 2 steals
• Devin Pulsifer - 10 points (3-5 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-2 FT) | 3 rebounds | 3 steals 
• Ryan Grijalva - 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-2 3PT) | 1 rebound | 2 assists | 1 block 

NOTEWORTHY

• This is the 38th all-time meeting between the Falcons and Saints.
• Albertus extends its all-time series record to 26-12 against the Saints following today's road win.
• Perkins scored his 1000th career point at the 2:00 minute mark.
• Dawkins collected his second double-double of the season.
• Washington finished the game with 10 rebounds to go along with eight points, three assists, and a steal.
• The Falcons dominated in the paint, outscoring the Saints by a 50-26 margin.
• This game saw nine ties and 11 lead changes. 

UP NEXT
The men's basketball team continues GNAC play with a road tilt against the Blazers of Elms College on Tuesday, January 18th. Tip-off is set for 5 PM in Chicopee, Mass. inside the Maguire Center for Health, Fitness, and Athletics.