BOSTON, Mass. (January 22, 2025) – The Western New England men's basketball team suffered their first conference loss of the season on Wednesday night, as the Rams of Suffolk University used a strong second-half run to secure a 70-60 victory in a midweek Conference of New England matchup.

Records:

• Western New England: 12-4, 8-1 CNE
• Suffolk University: 10-6, 6-3 CNE

How it Happened

Suffolk set the tone early, winning the opening tip and scoring their first three points on the game's initial possession, courtesy of Cole LeVangie. LeVangie doubled the Rams' lead with another three-pointer soon after. Western New England responded with a crucial basket when Cody Palazzesi found Jake Harrison for a three-pointer, quickly followed by Palazzesi's first bucket of the game to bring the Golden Bears within a point. Suffolk's leading scorer, Keenan Robertson, took control, scoring the Rams' next seven points and extending their lead to six. A three-pointer from Devin Dzikas pushed the Rams' lead to eight—their largest of the half—with 14:25 remaining. Western New England's Tim Restall responded by scoring six consecutive points, including a three-pointer, narrowing the deficit to four. Both teams traded baskets as Suffolk maintained their edge. Robertson continued to shine, reaching 10 points in the first half and helping the Rams to a 25-17 advantage. Matt Houde, Western New England's plus-minus leader this season, hit a fast-break three-pointer to halt Suffolk's momentum. Late in the half, Palazzesi added a team-high nine points, including a crucial three-pointer that brought the Golden Bears within two at halftime, trailing 36-34. Despite shooting 52% from the floor in the first half compared to Suffolk's 41%, Western New England struggled on the boards, being outrebounded 21-12, including nine offensive rebounds for Suffolk.

The Golden Bears opened the second half sluggishly, making just two of their first 10 shots. This allowed Suffolk to rebuild their eight-point lead early in the half. Robertson continued to dominate, quickly reaching 16 points, supported by offensive contributions from Jake Gomez and Danny Yardemian. Tim Restall and Jake Harrison each scored early in the half to bring Western New England within four, but the Rams consistently had answers for every Golden Bears run. Suffolk stretched their lead to eight with 14:49 remaining, and then exploded over a three-minute span, building their largest lead of the game—14 points—at 57-43. Dzikas knocked down two three-pointers during the run, with Nick Verdile adding another. Western New England struggled to generate stops, allowing Suffolk to shoot 9-for-17 midway through the second half. The Golden Bears' poor free-throw shooting, missing 14 points at the line, compounded their problems. During a critical four-minute stretch, they managed just three points, allowing Suffolk to maintain their double-digit lead and close out the game with a 70-60 victory.

Inside the Lines:

• Cody Palazzesi led Western New England with 16 points, adding two rebounds and two assists.
• Tim Restall was the only other Golden Bear in double figures, scoring 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting.
• The Golden Bears missed 14 free throws overall, a key factor in the loss.
• Western New England shot just 27% (9-for-33) in the second half, including 1-for-10 from three-point range.
• Keenan Robertson led Suffolk with a double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
• Suffolk shot an efficient 50% (13-for-26) in the second half.
• Western New England never held a lead during the game.
• The Golden Bears' 60 points were their lowest all-time against Suffolk.

Up Next

• Western New England will look to bounce back on Saturday, January 25, at 3:00 PM when they host Wentworth Institute of Technology at the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center.