PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Regis College fended off Johnson and Wales University, defeating the Wildcats, 76-67, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball game Wednesday night at the Wildcat Center.
Joshua Perez (Lynn, Mass.) led the Pride, scoring a career-high 23 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field while going 4-for-6 from three-point range. Zakaria Latifi (Holliston, Mass.) scored 14 points, shooting 4-for-7 from the three-point line while Jamir Harvey (Robbins, Ill.) added 11 points coming off the bench. Russell Rau (Fitchburg, Mass.) finished with nine points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
The Pride got to work quickly hitting their first four shots and taking an early 10-0 lead with contributions coming from Perez, Rau, and Latifi. A three-pointer and a layup by Aireus Raspberry put points on the board for the Wildcats and prevented Regis from running away with an early lead.
The first half continued to go back and forth with Regis maintaining a slight lead until three straight made free throws and a three-pointer by Perez as well as a jumper by Harvey put the Pride up 22-14 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the first half. A Latifi three-pointer capped off the first half, putting the Pride up by eight heading into halftime.
The Wildcats slowly closed the gap in the second half, coming within two points of the Regis lead when a three-pointer by Tyreek Jones put the score at 50-48 in favor of the Pride. Layups by Harvey and Devante Thompson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) as well as a jumper by Perez put Regis back up by eight with just under ten minutes remaining in regulation.
Johnson and Wales continued to fight back, tying the game at 58 points apiece on a layup by Sean Duke. The Pride ultimately pulled away with a six-point scoring run late in the game courtesy of made free throws by Tate Pike (Bellingham, Mass.) and Justin Evelyn (Uniondale, N.Y.).
Raspberry led the Wildcats with 23 points while Bryan Davis earned a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Duke came off the bench and also earned a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Regis College (6-2, 2-0 GNAC) next plays on the road against Worcester State on Saturday, Dec. 10, beginning at 12:00 p.m.