Men’s Basketball Travels to Western Mass for Ken Wright ’52 Invitational

BOSTON – The Suffolk men's basketball team, which opened its 70th season last Saturday, will travel to Western Massachusetts this weekend for the 15th annual Ken Wright '52 Invitational hosted by Amherst College. The Rams will take on Worcester State Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. and will meet either the host Amherst or Johnson State Saturday. 

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LAST TIME OUT
Despite a career-high 23 points from senior Jake Meister, the Suffolk men's basketball team fell to UMass, 72-61, Saturday afternoon at Regan Gymnasium in the season opener for both teams.

Meister hit 7-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-5 from behind the arc and 7-of-8 from the line to pace the Rams' attack in the Jeff Juron era debut. The senior forward added six rebounds to the effort. Quinn McCartney also posted a career-best in points as the sophomore contributed 14 on a 6-of-10 performance from the floor in the loss. Senior Matt Duquette matched McCartney's scoring output with 14 points, shooting 6-of-15, to go along with five boards and four assists. Adam Chick was a force for Suffolk on the glass, pulling down a team-best nine caroms.

MORE READING: UMass Boston Spoils Men's Basketball Season Opener, 72-61

• Suffolk raised the curtain on its 70th season and first under Jeff Juron Saturday, Nov. 14 with a well-crafted balanced of veteran leadership and youthful enthusiasm.
• Using a starting lineup of veterans, the Rams received double-digit efforts from three in blue-and-gold including a game-high and career-best 23 points from senior Jake Meister.  Classmate Matt Duquette and sophomore Quinn McCartney put in 14 points each.
• Defensively Adam Chick stood tall for the Rams as the senior paced the team with nine boards. Meister brought down six with Duquette and freshman Steven DiPrizio Steven adding five each.

LOW DOWN ON THE LANCERS

• The Lancers carry a 1-1 record into the tournament, after following up an 83-78 midnight mayhem setback to Clark in its season opener, with a 95-89 triumph over Wheaton Tuesday night.
• A trio of Lancers have provided double digits in points through the first two outings with Bilal Shakir's 19.5 ppg leading the way. Shakir, a 5-foot-7 guard, is shooting 46.4 percent from the field and a 53.3 shooting clip from long-rang. Shakir has also turned in 5.5 rpg.
• Marquez McKreith-Collins, a guard, is the team's second leading scorer at 14.4 ppg. The 6-foot-2 guard is converting 45.0 percent from the floor and has also dished out a team-high 2.0 apg.
• The team's leading rebound, Jamal Mustapha (13.5 rpg), rounds out the threesome with 13.5 ppg on a 40 percent shooting percentage.
• Worcester is coached by Dave Lindberg, who is in his 21st year at the helm of his alma mater. Lindberg has led the Lancers to seven MASCAC tournament championship games and boasts a 25-2301 record at Worcester State.

SCOUTING AMHERST

• Amherst, who ranks No. 5 in the D3hoop.scom preseason poll,  will open its 2015-16 campaign Friday night versus Johnston State.
• The purple-and-white return all nine players from a year ago that averaged at least 10 minutes per game and led Amherst to a 21-8 season in which it reached the NESCAC championship for the fourth year and made its fifth straight NCAA Championship appearance.
• Amherst has a bevy of talent in the backcourt and is led by preseason All-America selection, senior swingman Connor Green (16.0 ppg) and 2014-15 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, sophomore guard Johnny McCarthy (11.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.9 bpg).
• A sizable frontcourt figures to pose problems for the purple-and-white's opponents. Headlining the group is junior forward David George, who racked up 10 double-doubles last year, averaging 10.6 ppg and a team-high 8.3 caroms per contest.
• Legendary coach David Hixon enters his 39th season at the helm of the program. The three-time National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Northeast Region Coach of the Year and two-time NABC National Coach of the Year, owns the fifth highest winning percentage in NCAA Division III (.737) and has led Amherst to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, capturing the national crown twice.

BIT ABOUT THE BEAVERS

• Johnston State, who plays Amherst Friday night, is 0-1 on the year after dropping an 86-73 decision to Pine Manor in its season opener Saturday.  
• Rahim Bunch led the Beavers on both ends of the court 21-point, 10-rebound double-double performance.  
• Amari Moulton and Asim Khan also contributed double-digit points with 17 and 15, respectively.   
• Miles Smith returns to his alma mater for his first season as head coach of the Beavers.   

COMING UP
Suffolk remains on the road as it travels to Salve Regina Tuesday, Nov. 24. The non-conference contest is set for a 7 p.m. tip.