MBB: Lasers Fall 77-73 Against Babson

Newton, MA- Lasell built a commanding lead in the first half, but Babson surged in the second handing the Lasers a tough 77–73 loss on Tuesday night.

The opening half belonged to Lasell, sparked by early buckets from Esmer Madesko and Che Hanks to take a 5–2 edge. Quinton Partee Jr. delivered a major boost off the bench with 3 boards and 9 first-half points, including a three-point play that pushed the Lasers ahead 14–11. As the half progressed, Lasell's transition game took off, Hanks and Cameron Nell scored in the open floor, Tyler Costin knocked down back-to-back threes, and Nell hammered home two highlight-reel dunks to cap a 21–8 run that sent Lasell into the locker room up 46-33

Babson flipped the script after halftime, shooting 56.4% from the field for the game and using a balanced offense to chip away at Lasell's lead. Babson's defensive pressure forced 11 Lasell turnovers, and a string of second-chance baskets in the closing minutes helped the Beavers pull ahead for good.

Lasell had several strong individual efforts, led by Esmer Madesko's all-around performance of 20 points, 11 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. Hanks added 17 points, knocking down three threes and going a perfect 4-for-4 at the line, while Nell finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Partee Jr. continued his efficient stretch with 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting, and Costin contributed 6 points and 3 assists off the bench. The Lasers shot 45% from the floor and a strong 80% at the stripe but were narrowly edged out on the glass, 29–28.

Despite controlling the first 20 minutes, Lasell couldn't withstand Babson's late push, falling 77-73.

Up Next- Lasell will host Anna Maria in the Athletic Center at 7:00PM on Thursday November 20.