Recap
Senior DeAnte Bruton scored 27 of his game-high 31 points in the second half and overtime in Nichols College's 87-81 loss to Emerson College in non-conference men's basketball action Thursday night at the Nichols Athletic Center.
 
Junior Nate Tenaglia was the only other NC student-athlete in double-figures as he went for 15 points to go with eight boards and two steals; both he and Bruton played all but three minutes of the contest. Classmate Matt Morrow snared a game-high 18 rebounds but was 4-of-12 from the field and finished with nine points, as did sophomore Jaekwon Spencer (3-of-14 FG).
 
Sophomore Zach Waterhouse poured in 25 points (10-of-18 FG) while playing all 45 minutes for the Lions (7-4). Classmate Jarred Houston filled the stat sheet with 21 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks while sophomore Nate Martin racked up 20 points, six boards, and three blocks.
 
Emerson shot 52 percent in the first half and led by 13 at the break. The Bison trailed by as many as 18 in the second half before a furious comeback brought them to within one (72-71) with 2:03 on the clock. Following a pair of free throws from Houston with 28 seconds to go that pushed the lead to three (74-71), Bruton canned a triple from the right corner to force OT.
 
Senior Kash Jackson gave the Bison (7-3) their first lead of the game (78-76) with a jumper at 2:41 of OT before a layup from Houston a little over one minute later put the visitors in front for good.
 
Three things you need to know...
            -Tonight's contest marked the ninth all-time meeting between Nichols College and Emerson College, and the first since 1994. The Bison entered the contest with a perfect 8-0 mark against the Lions – including a 4-0 mark in Dudley.
            -The Bison shot just 24 percent in the first half (8-of-34 FG) and finished the contest at 31 percent (6-of-28 FG). They were held to 6-of-28 shooting from behind the arc (31 percent).
            -The Bison (7-3) saw their nine-game home winning streak snapped and suffered their first home loss in nearly one calendar year (76-72 to Gordon, Jan. 5, 2019).  
 
Next game
Saturday, January 4 vs Tufts, 7:00 p.m.