PROVIDENCE, RI – The Lasell men's basketball team dropped its first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest of the season on Thursday evening, as Johnson & Wales University avenged the Lasers 83-69 inside the Wildcat Center. Lasell is now 6-1 in conference play and 9-5 overall, while the Wildcats improve to 4-2 in the GNAC and 4-8 this season.

Armin Omanovic (Wilkesboro, N.C.) went 12-for-13 from the free throw line to contribute to 24 total points and four rebounds. John Powell (Ashland, Mass.) and Yordan Villalon (Miami, Fla.) brought down ten rebounds apiece to lead Lasell defensively, while Powell additionally scored 17 points for yet another double-double.

Anthony Jernigan (East Hartford, Conn.) recorded 31 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals to lead the Wildcats to their second straight win. Michael Kiser followed with 13 points and five rebounds, and Edson Dascy (Fall River, Mass.)  finished with 12 points and seven rebounds

Johnson & Wales built a 34-25 lead in the first half when Michael Kiser completed a three-point play. The Lasers cut it to three points, 37-34, but Jernigan drilled a three pointer to send JWU into the locker room with a 40-34 lead.

Coming out of half time, the Lasers got the lead down to five, 40-35, but Jernigan scored three points and Dascy added a basket to push the margin to 45-35. A Dascy layup with 9:48 left in the game staked JWU to its biggest lead, 59-43. Lasell would only get within 10 the rest of the way, including 77-67 on a Derek McMahon (Hatfield, Mass.) three pointer with one minute remaining.

Johnson & Wales forced Lasell into 22 turnovers, which the Wildcats converted into 24 points. The Lasers also struggled from the free throw line, going 19-30 (63.3 percent) while JWU shot 71.1 percent (20-28). Lasell had a decided 48-36 rebounding margin.

Both teams return to their respective home court on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The Lasers square off with the Rams of Suffolk University, while the Wildcats take on Rivier.