BOSTON -- Juniors Roger Perry (Roxbury, Mass.) and Eric Summerville (Little Rock, Ark.) combined for 59 points to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston Beacons to their first Little East Conference victory of the season by defeating the University of Southern Maine Huskies 94-85 at the Clark Athletic Center Tuesday evening.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Beacons who improved to 4-11 overall and 1-5 in the conference. The loss dropped the Huskies’ overall record to 6-10 and 1-5 in the conference. The two teams will meet again February 10 at Southern Maine.
Trailing by three (50-47) with 15 minutes to play, Summerville and Perry combined for 11 points during a decisive 17-4 run over a six-minute span that gave the hosts a 64-54 advantage. The Huskies would get no closer than seven (67-60) the remainder of the way.
The teams exchanged the lead eight times in the first half before the Beacons went to the locker room up one (38-37) at the intermission. UMass Boston opened the game with a 9-0 run before USM got on the board. The Huskies earned their first lead (17-16) on a three-point shot by sophomore Quinn Fulcher (South Royalton, Vt.) midway through the half. Neither team led by more than six (USM 32-26) the rest of the half.
The second half opened the way the first closed, with six lead changes and two ties over the first five minutes before the Beacons’ decisive run.
Perry made 7 of 11 shots, including 5 of 7 three-pointers, from the floor and 11 of 14 from the foul line for 30 points to take game-high scoring honors. Summerville made 11 of 20 field goal attempts, including 5 of 11 trifectas, on the way to 29 points. He also dished out eight assists and made six steals.
Junior Eddie Ramos (Malden, Mass.) aided Perry and Summerville with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Freshman Tony Barros (Dorchester, Mass.) added 10 points.
Junior Jason Levecque (Westbrook, Maine) led the Southern Maine offense with 22 points. Sophomore Jesse McKinnell (Manomet, Mass.) posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Fulcher finished with 15 points.
The Huskies shot 53.4 percent (31 of 58) from the floor, including 10 of 25 from beyond the three-point arc, but committed 23 turnovers. UMB shot 49.2 percent from the floor (30 of 61), including 13 of 27 from three-point territory. The Beacons also converted 21 of 30 free throws.