NEWTON, MA. - The Saint Joseph's College Monks (17-4, 9-1) defeated the Lasell Lasers (16-6, 9-2) 94-71 in a GNAC men's basketball contest on Saturday afternoon on the road. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Saint Joseph's College Monks came out firing to begin the game, as back-to-back three-pointers set the tone early. The Lasers were limited to just two free throws during a 10-2 run by the Monks to open the contest. With a 13-point lead in hand, the Monks looked to assert their dominance, but the Lasers responded with an and-one layup followed by consecutive three-pointers, cutting the deficit back into single digits. Despite their efforts, the Lasers could not get any closer before halftime, as the Monks maintained a 51-36 advantage heading into the break.

The second half mirrored the early momentum, as the Monks used a 9-2 run to push their lead to 24 points, making it increasingly difficult for the Lasers to mount a comeback. Although the Lasers managed to trim the deficit to 16 at one point, they were unable to get any closer. The Monks held steady and closed out the game with a decisive 94-71 victory.

LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:

• John Paul Frazier (York, ME) notched a double-double with a team high of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists
• Remijo Wani (Portland, ME) led the Monks with 17 points, two rebounds, and one steal
• Silvano Ismail (Portland, ME) added eight rebounds and three assists
• Wani Donato (Portland, ME) added 11 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. 

LEADERS – LASELL:

• Esmer Madesko recorded a game high of 23 points, two rebounds, two steals, and one assist

• Che Hanks notched 10 points, one rebound, and one steal 

• Marcus Lewis added eight points, seven rebounds, and two steals