FARMINGTON, Maine – Suffolk University jumped out of the gates quickly on the offensive end of the floor, building an 11-point lead midway through the opening half and holding on late to close out the University of Maine at Farmington, 75-72, in the 2025-26 season opener for both programs.
The two teams also met in last year's season opener, a game the Rams won by three, 78-75, in Boston.
How it Happened:
The Rams' offense got rolling early, finding good looks at the rim while also knocking down multiple threes, going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in the opening 10:20 of play, en route to a 28-17 lead. Rams point guard Nick Verdile facilitated the early surge, totaling seven points and four assists.
Farmington responded as it began to settle in offensively. A jumper and then a transition three-pointer from Zach McLaughlin (Hampden, Maine), followed by consecutive threes from Brayden St. Pierre (Readfield, Maine), sparked a quick 12-5 run for the Beavers to pull within four with just under five minutes remaining in the opening half.
Farmington went into halftime down seven, 41-34, despite shooting over 50% from the floor (15-for-29). The biggest difference in the half was on the glass, as the Rams grabbed eight offensive rebounds and turned them into eight second-chance points.
Declan Davis opened the second half with a three-pointer to push the Rams' lead back to double digits, but the Beavers had an answer once again as junior transfer Charlie Houghton (Dixfield, Maine) began to assert himself offensively. Houghton scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, attacking the rim, drawing fouls, and hitting a series of fadeaway jumpers in the lane.
McLaughlin also settled in after going 4-for-13 in the first half, connecting on a pair of threes and shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field in the second.
The Davis three to open the half was answered by an 18-8 Farmington run to tie the game at 52 with just over 13 minutes remaining. On the ensuing Beaver possession, with a chance to take their first lead, Rams forward Greg Keane came up with a big block that turned into a transition layup for Marques White. A three-pointer from Harrison Neil on the next trip down made it 57-52.
Farmington continued to chip away, cutting the deficit to one on multiple occasions but was never able to take the lead. Gabe Michaud (Gorham, Maine) had a steal and layup to make it 63-62 with 7:27 left, while a tip-in from Jason Reynolds (Winslow, Maine) with five minutes remaining again made it a one-point game. A three-pointer from Houghton with 2:30 left cut the Rams' lead to just one.
Following Houghton's three, the Beavers forced a miss on the next Suffolk possession, but James Jones grabbed the offensive rebound and quickly banked in a layup to extend the lead to 72-69.
After a McLaughlin steal and layup made it a three-point game with 45 seconds left, Farmington needed a stop to have a chance to tie it. The Beavers got exactly that as Michaud made a thunderous block at the rim to deny Aston Whittingham and keep it a one-possession game.
After a Farmington timeout, Reynolds ended up with the ball and a chance to send the game to overtime in the closing seconds, but his contested three-point attempt clanked off the back iron as the Rams held on for the season-opening win.
Stats of the Game:
Farmington
Field Goal Pct: 48.3% (29-for-60)
Three-Point Pct: 33.3% (7-for-21)
Free Throw Pct: 77.8% (7-for-9)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 30 (9-21)
Turnovers: 9
Suffolk
Field Goal Pct: 46.8% (29-for-62)
Three-Point Pct: 40.0% (10-for-25)
Free Throw Pct: 77.8% (7-for-9)
Rebounds (Total, Off-Def): 36 (13-23)
Turnovers: 10
Leaders – Farmington:
Houghton finished with 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field to go with five rebounds.
McLaughlin added 18 points on 7-for-16 shooting, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, and recorded three blocks.
Reynolds notched his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Michaud tallied 14 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting performance.
Leaders – Suffolk:
Jones led all scorers with 20 points on 9-for-14 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.
White added 15 points, shooting 6-for-13 from the field.
Verdile filled the stat sheet with 14 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.
Neil contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
Up Next:
The Beavers return to action next Friday evening, taking on VTSU Castleton at the Spartan Classic. Tip-off is set for 5:00 p.m.
