NEWTON, Mass. - The opening night of the Division III men's basketball season saw the Eagles defeat the Lasell University Lasers 86-78 at the Athletic Center on Friday night. With the victory, the Eagles revenge their loss in 2019 and start the season 1-0 while the Lasers fall to 0-1.

Justin Thompson started the season off with the first points of the season as the Eagles opened the game on a 7-2 run. The Lasers brought the game to within one but an 11 point run by Husson saw the Eagles lead 22-10 seven minutes into the game and force a Lasell timeout. The Lasers would again bring the lead down to five points but a 10-0 Husson run sparked by Jeremy Moronta's six points saw the Eagles lead 35-20 halfway through the game. The teams would trade baskets as the Eagles led 43-34 at halftime. 

In the first half, the Eagles were led in the first half by DJ Bussey and Justice Kendall as they each had eight points while Brett Cunningham and Thompson had seven. For the Lasers, EJ Day and Kevin Nunez each had 12 and 10 points respectively. 

The second half started out evenly until the Eagles used an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 66-47 halfway through the second. Husson led by 19 at one point and the Lasers cut the lead down to four but the final horn sounded and the Eagles earned the opening night victory.  

Justice Kendall led the Eagles with nine points in the second half while DJ Bussey repeated his first half performance with another eight points. Day had 13 points while Kevin Vanderhorst had 10 in the Lasers comeback attempt. 

HUSSON STATS

• Kendall with a team-high 17 points in his new number 41 jersey. 

• Bussey and Thompson each with 16 points and combined for 14 rebounds with eight of them on the offensive side of the court. 

• Eagles outrebounded the Lasers, 42-30, including 15-7 on offensive rebounds.

LASELL STATS

• Day with a game-high 25 points.

• Vanderhorst recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. 

• Lasers outscoreded the Eagles 44-22, inside the paint and was 9-of-10 from the free throw line while the Eagles went 17-of-28. 

The young season continues on Tuesday, November 9th when the Eagles travel to Cambridge to take on the Engineers of MIT for a 7 p.m. tip-off.