Men’s Basketball Begins 2023-24 at Eastern Nazarene Wednesday

SUFFOLK at EASTERN NAZARENE
Date Time Venue Video Stats Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Wednesday, Nov. 8 7:00 PM Lahue Athletic Center Quincy, Mass. Athletics.ENC.com GoSuffolkRams.com 19-20 Nov. 19, 2022, W, 63-55 Same W1

BOSTON – Suffolk men's basketball lifts the lid on its 78th season Wednesday, Nov. 8 when it heads to Eastern Nazarene for a 7 p.m. tip-off. 

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and X. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

RAPID REWIND
A year ago, Suffolk assembled a 16-9 overall record and 11-7 mark versus CCC counterparts to earn the fifth seed in the league tournament.  

The Rams season came to an end in the quarterfinals as they fell at fourth seed Wentworth, 72-60. 

WELCOME BACK
Keenan Robertson headlines the Rams' returners as the junior anchored Suffolk's scoring unit a year ago with 19.2 ppg to go along with a team-best 6.7 rpg as well. Every day starter Cole LeVangie (7.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg) is back in blue-and-gold as well as Jake Gomez (6.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Liam Cunnie, Kyle Philips, Devin Dzikas, Jack McDonnell andConnor Strickland.  

RAMS ROOKIES
Suffolk men's basketball's roster got a make-over over the off-season as head coach Jeff Juron brought in 10 fresh faces to the Rams' roster for the 2023-24 campaign.

The group is comprised of six true freshmen in Declan Davis, Matt Draheim, Greg Keane, Cem Uner, Nick Verdile and Owen Walters with sophomore Aidan Kane getting his collegiate underway in blue-and-gold as well. Three transfers round out the group --graduate student Danny Yardemian, who made the shift to Suffolk from Bentley, junior Jonathan Donovan, also a member of Suffolk's men's golf team, who brought his talents from Penn State Harrisburg and sophomore Evan Cook, who began his collegiate career at Wheaton. 

MORE READING: Ten Newcomers to Boost Men's Basketball in 2023-24

GEOGRAPHY 101
The bulk of Suffolk's 18-player roster calls the Bay State home. Three Rams brought their talent in from the Empire State with Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Virginia all represented by one student-athlete apiece. There is an international Ram on roster as well, Cem Uner, who flew in from Istanbul, Turkey. 

CLASS CATEGORIES
The Rams ranks feature eight juniors, six true freshmen, three sophomores and one graduate student. 

POSITION PICTURE
A dozen of Suffolk's players are primarily guards with four true forwards and a pair of swing players.

COACH'S COURT
Jeff Juron, returns to the bench for his ninth season at the helm of the Rams.

Over eight seasons at Suffolk, Juron has helped Suffolk to new heights highlighted by six consecutive winning seasons and an 100-91 (.523) record in that span.

Back on Juron's staff is long-time assistants Dana Harris and Joe Sharkey with Weston Hannon joining the fold for his first campaign as an assistant coach. 

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Suffolk men's basketball has been predicted to finish fourth in the CCC according to the league's preseason poll, the conference office announced Wednesday. 

MORE READING: Men's Basketball Selected Fourth in CCC Preseason Poll 

LIFT THE LID

• Since 1967-68 Suffolk is 26-29 in the first game of the season. 
• The Rams have pulled the curtain back in the win column in six straight seasons, including last year's dominate 105-65 victory over Salem state. 
• The blue-and-gold is 6-2 in the season opener in the Jeff Juron era. 
• The Rams will begin their season on the road for the first time since 2021-22. 
• Suffolk is 6-11 on the road in its season debut, 7-4 at home and 7-11 when playing on an impartial court.  
• Prior to the 1976-77 campaign, the location of Suffolk's season opener was undisclosed with the Rams going 5-4 through those contests. 

LIONS LOOK
Eastern Nazarene has nearly a brand new roster with just four players back from last season's squad that assembled an 11-14 overall record.  

Kobe Jones has the most experience has he saw time in all 26 games and provided 9.7 ppg to the Lions' 74.3 ppg off. JT Rosier, Xavier Depina and Carlos Reynose have experience as well.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk is 19-20 all-time against Eastern Nazarene. 
• The Rams renewed a rivalry with the Lions last seeing, meeting for the first time since 2013. Suffolk won last year's battle, 63-55. 
• At Suffolk, the Rams are 9-7 versus the Lions. 
• On the road, the blue-and-gold sports a 4-9 record against ENC. 
• Suffolk is in search of its first road win over ENC since a 67-64 decision Nov. 15, 2011.
• The teams have battled on a neutral hardwood twice. Suffolk is unbeaten in those contests, 2-0. 
• The Rams hold an undefeated, 1-0, mark versus Eastern Nazarene under Jeff Juron's guidance.  

EYES ON THE GAME
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams will prep for their home opener, which is on tap a week from today, Wednesday, Nov. 15 versus Colby Sawyer. Tip-off at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court is set for 7:30 p.m.