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BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk University was a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line during the final minute of Tuesday night's Conference of New England clash on Coach Beaudry's Court to close out a 75-69 victory over the University of New England men's basketball team, which erased a late nine-point deficit to give itself a chance in the game's waning moments.
 
Adrian Torres nailed a game-tying triple with just under a minute remaining, but the Rams (7-6, 3-1) were sent to the charity stripe on the ensuing possession and made both before stringing together stops and continuing to convert at the line, comfortably sealing the win.
 
Nick Verdile, who hit five 3-pointers (5-for-14), paced Suffolk's offense with a game-high 25 points. James Jones poured in an efficient 22 points (10-for-16 from the floor), all while pulling down a game-best 12 rebounds.
 
Jayden Thornton was 4-for-8 from deep on his way to a team-best 14 points for the Nor'easters (6-7, 2-2). Gabe Galarraga also found his touch from distance, hitting 3-of-6 and finishing with 13. UNE had a slight upper hand in perimeter shooting, going 12-for-31 while the Rams finished 8-for-22. Despite the long-range success, the Nor'easters were not as efficient from the field; UNE went 25-for-64 on the evening and Suffolk was 28-for-63.
 
UNE held a five-point halftime lead (34-29), which would go down as its largest of the night, but Suffolk drew itself even four minutes after the break. With the lead often changing hands in the early moments of the second half, the Rams put together a 12-0 run that proved to be a difference-maker, giving Suffolk a 55-47 lead with less than eight minutes remaining.
 
The Rams' lead was nine (67-58) with 3:30 left before Thornton scored eight straight points as part of an 11-2 run – capped off by Torres' big 3-pointer – that allowed UNE to tie the game at 69-69.
 
Suffolk was only 11-for-19 on the night from the free throw line, but was perfect through its final three trips to hold off the Nor'easters' push.
 
UNE readies for back-to-back road dates, beginning with a trip to Western New England on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 3 p.m.