BOSTON - Opening Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Andy Yosinoff Court, the Emmanuel College men's basketball team (1-11, 0-1 GNAC) came up short against the visiting Rivier Raiders (8-4, 1-0 GNAC), falling 87-81 on Saturday afternoon. The Saints made a strong push in the second half to cut into a double-digit deficit, but timely baskets by the Raiders allowed them to maintain control and secure the victory.

A pivotal 16-5 run by the Raiders between the 17:43 and 11:45 marks of the first half gave Rivier early control, building a 21-10 lead. Emmanuel battled, never trailing by more than 14 and getting to within six, but consistent offensive pressure from Rivier sent the visitors into the break with a 42-33 lead.

A layup from Mahari Guerrier and a pair of free throws from Connor Hanavan to open the second half cut the Saints' deficit to five, but the Raiders responded with an explosive 12-0 run to open up their largest lead of the afternoon at 54-37. Matt Constant led the two-minute surge, knocking down two from beyond the arc as Rivier began to pull away.

The Saints continued to claw their way back into the game, cutting the deficit to just four points when Vondre Chase sank a pair of free throws with 8:56 remaining. Emmanuel was unable to cut into the lead any further as Rivier extended their lead to 16 with under 90 seconds to play. A late 13-3 run by the Saints in the final 1:26 brought them closer, but their comeback bid fell short, falling 87-81.

The Raiders were led by Constant, who posted a game-high 25 points, including six three-pointers. Kyler Bosse contributed 19 points, while Odarius Cade added 17 to secure the win. For the Saints, Guerrier delivered a career-best performance with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Chase chipped in 22 points in the loss.

Up next, Rivier returns home to continue GNAC play in a matchup with Elms on Tuesday (1/7) at 6:00 PM. Emmanuel will head to Providence for a GNAC battle with Johnson & Wales on Tuesday at 8:00 PM.