DUDLEY, Mass. – Graduate student Matthew Alectus scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the second half as the Nichols College men's basketball team rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to defeat Suffolk University 87-86 in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Semifinal action Thursday night at the Nichols Athletic Center.

The Hollywood, Florida native went 9-of-15 from the field (5-of-9 three-pointers) while junior Jakigh Dottin netted 17 of his 21 points in the second half – including two key free throws with 11 seconds remaining in regulation that proved to be the winning points. The win sends the top-seeded Bison (24-3) to the conference championship game for the fifth-consecutive season, where they will meet No. 2 Salve Regina in Dudley Saturday night at 6 p.m.

Senior and CCC Defensive Player of the Year Jaekwon Spencer filled the stat sheet with 15 points and eight boards while graduate student Matt Morrow scored 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Freshman and CCC Rookie of the Year Tahmeen Dupree dished out six assists to go with seven rebounds and five points.

The Rams knocked down 53 percent of their shots in the first half – including 7-of-14 from downtown – to take a 42-34 lead into the locker room at halftime. Suffolk graduate student Nate Hale led all scorers with 11 points while Spencer and Morrow each netted eight for the Bison, who shot 45 percent from the field.

Suffolk stretched its lead to 13 early in the second half following a layup from senior William Rowe. Alectus' first triple of the second half brought the Bison to within seven points at 50-43. Less than two minutes later, Dupree canned a three to get NC to within five at 52-47.

A second three form Alectus made it a four-point game with 12:37 on the clock before a layup from Dottin made it a 56-55 contest. Alectus' third triple of the stanza with 9:46 left gave the Bison their first lead of the night at 63-61. The lead grew to six following a Dottin basket with 5:50 to go and later went to seven when Alectus made one of two from the line with 2:50 left in regulation.

Trailing by three with 11 seconds remaining, the Rams had one last possession to tie the game and made a layup with time winding down. Hale led the Rams with 21 points (4-of-8 three-pointers) while junior Aidan Sullivan and freshman Jake Gomez each netted 14.

Both teams shot the ball extremely well as both Nichols (54 percent) and Suffolk (52 percent) made more than half of its shot attempts. The Bison went 12-of-25 from deep compared to 10-of-22 for the Rams.