MBK: Lasers use strong shooting to take down Wildcats

Providence, R.I. – Balanced scoring by the Lasell Univeristy Lasers men's basketball team propelled them to a victory over Johnson & Wales University, 86-75, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game, Saturday at Delaney Gymnasium.

Senior EJ Day (Norwalk, Conn.) led the Lasers with 18 points and added eight assists. Graduate student Kevin Vanderhorst (Lawrence, Mass.) had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Kevin Nunez (Dorchester, Mass.) also scored 16 points and senior Almando Marinez (Lawrence, Mass.) scored 13 points off the bench.

Senior Bryan Davis (Miramar, Fla.) led all scorers with 22 points and added eight rebounds. Freshman Josh Zangerle (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) scored 14 points and added eight rebounds while junior Bobby Fiorito (East Providence, R.I.) had 13 points. Junior Aireus Raspberry (Cranston, R.I.) added 10 points as four of five Wildcat starters finished in double figures.

Both teams struggled to start the game with only two points scored in the first two and a half minutes. A three by Day with just over five minutes gone in the game gave the Lasers their biggest lead. Another three by day and a layup along with a free throw by Nunez led a 9-0 run and gave the Lasers a nine-point lead. Lasell pushed their lead to double figures on a three by Vanderhorst with 12 minutes remaining. The Lasers continued to build their lead in the first half making three consecutive threes starting with Marinez, and followed by junior Demerrick Warren (Deerfield, Fla.) and freshman Conan McCusker (Dorchester, Mass.). The Wildcats clawed their way back into the game, a quick 7-0 run trimmed the Laser lead to 12 with four minutes remaining. The Wildcats kept clawing back getting the lead under 10 on a layup by Fiorito. The nine-point lead would hold the rest of the way as Lasell went into the break leading 45-36.

Lasell did not waste any time getting their lead back over 10 as they opened the second half scoring the first six points. Johnson & Wales stormed back scoring 12 of the next 14 points including a 9-0 run to make it a one possession game with 14:05 remaining. Lasell answered right back going on a 7-0 run to get their lead back to nine. From this point on, the Lasers continued to keep the Wildcats at arm's length. The closest the Wildcats got was seven right after Lasell made it a nine-point lead with 12:44 remaining. Each team matched each other down the stretch with Lasell able to add to their advantage slowly. The Lasers were only able to outscore the Wildcats by two in the second half, but it was more than enough to secure the victory 86-75.

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday, January 18, when they travel to the University of Saint Joseph for a matchup with the seventh ranked Bluejays. The GNAC matchup will tip-off at 7:00 p.m.