Box Score
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior guard Emanuel Zayas scored 17 of his game-high 27 points in the second half as the University of Massachusetts Boston overcame a four-point halftime deficit to post a 70-62 Little East Conference men's basketball victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
 
In a game which featured five ties and seven lead changes, UMass (9-8, 4-5 LEC) shot 50 percent from the floor and was 5-of-6 from the foul line over the 56.9 seconds (after not being awarded a free throw in the first half ) to complete the season sweep of Eastern (11-6, 3-6 LEC) for the second straight season.
 
Eastern and UMass Boston were among four teams sharing fourth place in the Little East entering play. With the win, the Beacons move into sole possession of fourth place, a game ahead of Eastern, Plymouth State University and the University of Southern Maine. Plymouth and Southern Maine both lost road games.
 
Despite playing without two of the three players who reached double figures in their 77-70 win over Eastern back on Dec. 7, the Beacons won their second straight (road) game on the heels of a four-game losing streak. The 5-foot-7 inch Zayas, limited to nine points and eight field goal attempts from the floor in the first game against Eastern, broke out against the Warriors on 9-of-16 shooting (5-of-8 from distance), turning the ball over only twice in 35 minutes. Backcourt teammate Raphel Laurent, a freshman, added 16 points (6-of-9 FGs) and six rebounds in helping the Beacons to shoot 50 percent from the floor, including 8-of-16 from three-point range.
 
Leading by one, 59-58 with three minutes left, UMass outscored Eastern 11-4 the rest of the way, with sophomore guard Xavier McKenzie's only three-point field goal of the game off a pass from Zayas proving to be a dagger of sorts with 2:39 left that made it 62-58. The Beacons were 6-of-9 from the stripe over the final two minutes, with Laurent sinking two with 56.9 seconds left to make it 67-60, and closing out the scoring with two more with 25.1 seconds left after Eastern junior guard Dominick Dao (Terryville) – the team leader with 16 points (four three-point field goals) – fouled out.
 
In the final two minutes, Eastern was 1-of-8 from the floor and turned the ball over twice.
 
Sophomore guard Pedro Perry (New London) came off the bench for 12 points and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes for Eastern, with sophomore forward Julian Sanchez (Willimantic) adding 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Cedrick Similien (Norwich) added ten points. In his second game back after missing eight with injury, 6-foot-7 inch junior Jalen Hamblin (West Hartford) had eight points and four rebounds with just one turnover in 27 minutes off the bench. Sophomore guard Esco Greene (New Britain) handed out a game-high six assists.
 
Eastern hosts the UMass Dartmouth Wednesday at 7 p.m., looking for the season sweep after pulling out a 68-66 victory three weeks ago at the Tripp Athletic Center after moving out to a nine-point halftime lead. Eastern shot a season-high 60 percent from the floor to overcome 20 turnovers. The Corsairs (5-12, 2-6 LEC) lost their third straight Saturday, 68-62, against visiting Bates College.