Men’s Basketball Comes Up Short in CNE Championship at WNE, 75-74

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The third-seeded Suffolk men's basketball team fell just short to top-seeded Western New England, 75-74, in the 2025 Conference of New England (CNE) Championship Saturday afternoon at the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center. 

As anticipated, the game between the Rams and Golden Bears did not disappoint, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the very end, literally, as Keenan Robertson put up a shot as time expired. As the ball swished through the net the refs whistled and waived off the made hoop, due to not getting the shot off in time, which allowed WNE to claim the conference crown.  

Despite the setback, Robertson was named the 2025 CNE Men's Basketball Tournament's Most Outstanding player after averaging 33.7 points behind a 63.6 shooting percent and six rebounds over the Rams' three-game tournament run.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 74 | Western New England 75
RECORDS: Suffolk (20-8) | Western New England (21-6)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Down 11-8, Suffolk scored six straight to take a 14-11 into the first media timeout of the day at the 13:31 mark. That stretch was a pair of Danny Yardemian hoops sandwiched around a Robertson dunk.  

The lead would flip flop four times from there and landed in the Rams favor thanks to an 11-3 run on a Robertson layup. The bucket ignited an 11-3 Suffolk stretch that gave the blue-and-gold a seven-point cushion, 30-23, with 6:33 left in the first half.  

Western New England responded with a quick 5-2 to slice the gap back to two, 32-30, with 4:21 to go before halftime.  

The game of runs continued. Suffolk's 8-2 rally lengthened the lead to eight, 42-38. That was trimmed down to four, at the half as the Golden Bears scored four unanswered to send the teams into the locker room with 42-38 on the scoreboard.  

Suffolk remained in front for the first five minutes of the second stanza, 54-49. 

Foul trouble cost the Rams and allowed WNE to not only comeback, but take a six-point edge, 66-60, with just over six minutes left in regulation. 

The Rams battled back and scored six straight points, two from Yardemian and four by Robertson, to even things at 66. 

From there, the score locked four times and the lead switched three with the Golden Bears up one, 75-74, with 26 seconds left on the clock. 

Nick Verdile took a jumper in the chance to send Suffolk in front. The attempt hit the front rim instead and the Rams gambled by sending Brian Geitner to the free throw line with 5.0 to play.  

Geitner missed the front end of the one and one and Suffolk made one last attempt to pull ahead. The Rams passed the ball down the court quickly, found Robertson who took one dribble and shot. The buzzer sounded and the ball went in but was waived off by the refs to seal a heartbreaking loss.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Robertson finished with a game-high 36 points on a 12-for-17 day from the floor and a 10-for-11 effort at the charity stripe. He added four caroms, two assists and one block. 
• Yardemian contributed 23 points and seven boards. 
• Jake Gomez added eight points, five caroms and two blocks. 
• Cole LeVangie added seven rebounds, three dimes, two points, one steal and one block. 
• Suffolk shot 50.0 percent (28-56) on the afternoon, just 25.0 percent (4-16) from 3-point land and 93.3 percent (14-15) from the foul line. 
• The Rams outrebounded the Golden Bears, 33-28. 
• Suffolk scored 38 points in the paint.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk wrapped up its 20th overall postseason trip, 12th straight conference tournament appearance and fourth CNE postseason run. 
• The Rams competed in the CNE field as the third seed for the first time. 
• It was the second time in program history that Suffolk was the league's third seed, first since 2001. 
• The Rams made their conference championship appearance, second straight. 
• Suffolk competed in the conference championship in a true road contest for the second straight season. 
• Suffolk dipped to 5-4 overall in the CNE Tournament. 
• On the road, the blue-and-gold is now 3-4 in CNE postseason play. 
• Under Jeff Juron's guidance, Suffolk is 6-8 in the postseason and 4-4 in the CNE Tourney.
• Robertson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 33.7 ppg on a 63.6 conversion rate (35-55) from the floor with 6.0 rpg.
• Robertson wraps up his career third on Suffolk's all-time scoring list with 1,846 career points.