Men’s Basketball’s Homecoming Features Lasell Tuesday

BOSTON – Returning to Regan Gymnasium after a week away, the Suffolk men's basketball team readies for Lasell to stop by Beacon Hill Tuesday, Feb. 7 for a 7 p.m tip-off.   

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LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk and Emmanuel battled back and forth at the Jean Yawkey Center Saturday afternoon, but thanks to Emmet Riddick's lay-up with 24 seconds on the clock and a freebie from the freshman with four seconds remaining the Saints held off the Rams for a 56-54 GNAC win.       

MORE READING: Emmanuel Sneaks by Men's Basketball, 56-54

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
With just four contests remaining and playoff position up for grabs, the 6-15 Rams look to make a late run. Suffolk, who is 5-9 against conference competition, now sits in seventh place in the GNAC standings. 

The Rams offensive output of 64.9 ppg and effort on the glass of 32.5 rpg each rank 10th amongst their league opponents. Offensively, sophomores Michael Hagopian and Jim Djema lead the way, contributing 13.0 ppg and 10.1 ppg, respectively. On the defensive end, freshman Thomas Duffy's 5.4 rpg paces the pack with George Grillakis (3.6 rpg) and Hagopian (3.1 rpg) chipping into the effort. 

LASER LESSONS
Since meeting Suffolk Jan. 14, Lasell has marked on three more wins to its growing total, but mirrored those decisions in the loss column to sit at 13-8 on the season and 10-4 in league play, good for a tie for third in the standings.   

Lasell's 79.1 ppg is good for third amongst the league, thanks to the top individual scoring in Armin Omanovic's 26.9 ppg. John Powell and Tim Blais also register double figures for the Lasers with 15.0 pgp and 12.9 ppg, respectively. 

The Lasers are the top GNAC school on the boards with 45.2 caroms per outing, out rebounding their opponents by a 9.1 margin. Yordan Villaion's 9.8 rpg lead the way on the glass, while Powell is closely in second on the squad with 9.2 rpg. The two forwards sit third and fourth amongst the best rebounds in the conference. 

WE MEET AGAIN
The Suffolk men's basketball team hung with the then-league leader Lasell over the first 20 minutes, but could not quiet the Lasers in the second as the Rams fell, 86-63, Jan. 14 at the Athletic Center.    

MORE READING: Lasell Lasers Men's Basketball, 86-64

THE SERIES
The Lasers have picked up two straight victories of Suffolk to hold a 14-6 all-time series lead. The Rams last victory over Lasell came in an exciting 67-66 regular-season finale last season.    

EYES ON THE GAME

30-POINTS AND 10 YEARS AGO
Michael Hagopian followed up his 34-point performance versus Anna Maria Jan. 28 with a 36-point output at Rivier Feb. 1 to be the first player in over a decade to secure back-to-back 30-plus point outings. The sophomore from Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first player in blue-and-gold to accomplish the feat since John Murphy '07 did so at Johnson & Wales (Jan. 17, W, 97-91 2OT) and Daniel Webster (Jan. 20, L, 89-88 OT). Hagopian need just nearly 30 minutes to notch his 30-plus points, while Murphy racked up 39 and 30 points, respectively, in double overtime against the Wildcats and one extra session versus the Eagles. 

Hagopian, who set the most points by a Ram in the Jeff Juron era with his 34-point performance versus the AMCATS, displaced his own record just five days later. The 36 points are the most by a Ram since Sam Nwadike recorded 39 in a thrilling 84-82 Suffolk win over Anna Maria, Dec. 4, 2014. He is also the first player to notch 30 points in an outing since Nwadike registered 30 in a 79-64 setback to Emerson Jan. 4, 2015. Hagopian's two 30-point games in one season is the most by a Ram since Nwadike matched that number in 2013-14.    

ROOKIE REMARKS
For back-to-back weeks Dec. 5 and 12, Thomas Duffy earned GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week honors. 

MORE READING:  Duffy Named GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week |Duffy Grabs Second Straight GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week

SUFFOLK FREE RADIO
Suffolk Athletics has teamed up with Suffolk Free Radio to bring Ram Nation live broadcast events this year including multiple home and away women's basketball contests.

The pre-game shows are set to launch 15 minutes prior to tip-off of all contests and fans can follow along at mixlr.com/suffolkfreeradio/.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up regular-season home action Saturday, Feb. 11 when the Rams entertain Johnson & Wales at 3 p.m.