News Release

BOSTON — Junior swingman Tony Barros netted a game-high 22 points to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston men’s basketball team over University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 79-74, this evening in a Little East Conference contest at the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass Boston campus. The Beacons improve to 14-8 overall and 9-2 in the LEC for their most wins ever in conference play, while the Corsairs fall to 12-10 and 5-6.

UMass Dartmouth controlled the scoreboard for the first half of the opening period and owned a 21-14 lead with 9:58 to play in the half, but UMass Boston went on a 17-6 run, fueled by six points from senior guard Eric T. Bateman to take a 31-27 lead with 5:17 left to go in the first session. The Beacons hung onto their margin and took a 40-39 edge into the break.

A pair of free throws made by the Corsairs’ Stephane Abelard gave them a 41-40 lead just nine seconds into the second half, but Barros made a lay-up 13 seconds later to take back the lead for UMass Boston. The Beacons would never trail again for the remainder of the contest. UMass Boston built a 61-52 advantage with 9:43 left in the game, but UMass Dartmouth came back with a 17-9 run, capped by a three-pointer from Devon Maiorano, to pull to within 70-69 at 3:16 of the second stanza. The Beacons held onto their slim margin at 72-71 with 2:12 to go in the contest, but it would be as close as the Corsairs would get as UMass Boston led by as many as six points the rest of the way.

Barros finished 7-13 from the floor, including 3-7 from three-point range and added six rebounds, a steal, an assists and a pair of blocks for the Beacons. Freshman center Rodney Bennett came off the bench to post a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds to go with four steals, four assists and five blocks. Sophomore point guard A.J. Titus chipped in with 10 points, six assists and four boards, while Bateman contributed with 10 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in 17 minutes off the bench.

Maiorano ended the night with 20 points, including 5-8 from three-point territory and added three rebounds, three assists and three steals for UMass Dartmouth. Dan Holbrook registered a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in addition to two assists, a steal and a block, while Paul Pawlowski netted 14 points, pulled down seven boards, dished for an assist and blocked a shot. Abelard just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds and added four assists and two blocks.

UMass Boston will be in action again on Saturday, February 11 when it hosts Little East Conference foe Plymouth State University at 3:00 p.m. in the Clark Athletic Center, while the Corsairs travel to Willimantic, CT to take on LEC rival Eastern Connecticut State University on February 11 at 3:00 p.m.

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UMass Dartmouth vs UMass Boston
2/7/06 7:30 p.m. at Boston, MA - Clark Athletic Center
At Boston, MA - Clark Athletic Center
UMASS BOSTON 79, UMASS DARTMOUTH 74
UMASS DARTMOUTH (12-10, 5-6 LEC)
Devon Maiorano 7-16 1-2 20; Dan Holbrook 5-12 4-5 14; Paul Pawlowski 5-13
3-4 14; Stephane Abelard 4-15 4-4 12; Charlie Large 3-6 0-0 6; Darryl
Goodridge 1-3 1-2 3; A.J. Tavares 1-3 0-0 3; Chris Frazier 1-2 0-0 2; Julian
Tynes 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-71 13-17 74.
UMASS BOSTON (14-8, 9-2 LEC)
Tony Barros 7-13 5-9 22; Rodney Bennett 8-16 2-2 18; Eric T. Bateman 3-5 4-5
10; A.J. Titus 3-4 4-5 10; Amigo Paniagua 3-5 0-0 6; Charles Yuan 2-6 1-2 5;
Mark Doran 1-5 2-2 4; James L. Hall 1-6 2-4 4; Tommy Howe 0-2 0-0 0. Totals
28-62 20-29 79.
UMass Dartmouth...............   39   35  -   74
UMass Boston..................   40   39  -   79
3-point goals-UMass Dartmouth 7-21 (Devon Maiorano 5-8; A.J. Tavares 1-2;
Paul Pawlowski 1-6; Darryl Goodridge 0-1; Stephane Abelard 0-4), UMass
Boston 3-9 (Tony Barros 3-7; A.J. Titus 0-1; Tommy Howe 0-1). Fouled
out--UMass Dartmouth-Dan Holbrook, UMass Boston-None. Rebounds-UMass
Dartmouth 41 (Dan Holbrook 10), UMass Boston 46 (Rodney Bennett 12).
Assists-UMass Dartmouth 17 (Darryl Goodridge 7), UMass Boston 22 (A.J. Titus
6). Total fouls-UMass Dartmouth 19, UMass Boston 16. A-225