Men's Basketball: Lasers fall in tight battle, 72-68, to Regis

NEWTON, Mass. – Senior Kevin Nunez scored a game-high 28 points, but it was not enough as the Lasell University men's basketball team fell to Regis, 72-68, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference game Wednesday at the Lasell Athletic Center.

Nunez tallied seven rebounds and three steals. Graduate student Kevin Vanderhorst compiled a double-double, finishing with 11 points and a team-leading 10 rebounds. Junior Demerrick Warren scored 12 points off the bench, shooting 4 of 5 on 3-point shots.

Senior Marc Trinidad led the Pride with 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Junior Justin Evelyn scored 12 points and fellow classmate Cameron Wilkins scored 11. Senior Jalil Wilkerson recorded a game-best seven steals.

It was a back and forth start to the game, as both sides were tied with just over six minutes gone in the first half. Lasell was able to gain a little room on the scoreboard, pulling out a five-point lead on a layup by Nunez with 11:34 left. The Pride took a 17-16 advantage on a layup by Trinidad with 9:12 remaining.

A three-ball by freshman Karim Belhouchet gave the Lasers a nine-point cushion with 2:50 left in the half. The Pride made the only two baskets the rest of the half on a trey by junior Zakaria Latifi and a jumper by freshman Russell Rau. The hosts led, 35-31, at halftime.

Nunez led all scorers in the first half with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field and Warren added nine points on a 3-for-3 performance from behind the arc off the bench. Trinidad led the Pride in scoring in the first half with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field.

The Pride started out the second half hot, opening on an 11-0 run and grabbing a seven-point lead a little more than four minutes into the half. The lead held for Regis for another two minutes before the Lasers stormed back. Lasell took the lead back on a layup by Vanderhorst and pushed the lead to four on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Nunez with 9:53 left.

A 3-pointer by Latifi gave the Pride a 58-57 advantage with 8:42 left. The lead continued to flip sides down the stretch. Regis pulled out a six-point cushion with five minutes remaining on a layup by Wilkins. Lasell immediately answered right back, completely erasing the deficit and taking a one-point lead on a trey by senior EJ Day with 2:45 left. Regis grabbed the lead for good at 69-68 on a tip-in by Trinidad with 1:37 on the clock.

Regis used a strong shooting performance in the final 20 minutes, as the Pride shot 54.5% from the field (18 of 33) in the second half compared to 32.3% (10 of 31) in the first half.

The Lasers will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 28, when they travel to Dean for a GNAC game. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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