MILTON, Mass. – Junior Lambros Papalambros poured in a game-high 26 points to lead Curry College over visiting University of New England, 80-74, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men’s basketball action Thursday night in Milton. The Colonels improve to 8-4 overall and 5-0 in conference action, while the Nor’easters fall to 2-10 overall and 1-4 in CCC play.

Curry used the first five minutes of the game to build a 17-4 lead. Senior Sedale Jones (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored the first bucket of the game with a three-pointer, while junior Carlos Ribeiro (Charlestown, Mass.) capped off the run with a made jump shot.

With 9:52 left in the first half, UNE took its only lead of the game (20-19) after junior Joshua Butler (Nantucket, Mass.) converted a layup. Papalambros answered with a jumper on the other end to give the Colonels a lead they would never relinquish. Curry went on to outscore the visitors 23-13 over the remainder of the opening frame, and took a 44-33 lead at the break.

The Colonels built their largest lead of the game (59-42) after another Papalambros jumper with 14:01 left in regulation. The Nor’easters responded with a 23-4 run that began with a three-point play by freshman Jesse Dykstra (Douglas, Mass.) and culminated with a layup by junior Charles Fenner III (Bronx, N.Y.) that trimmed the lead to two (65-63) with 7:51 remaining in the second frame.

With 3:20 on the clock, Ribeiro sank a jumper to give Curry a 10-point lead (73-63). UNE chipped away again, cutting the deficit to four (76-72) after Fenner hit a shot from beyond the arc with 38 seconds left. Ribeiro and Papalambros combined for a perfect four-of-four at the charity stripe over the remaining 38 seconds to secure the victory for the Colonels.

In addition to his 26 points, Papalambros dished out five assists. Jones scored 17 points, while Ribeiro and senior Ted Amendola (Hyde Park, Mass.) added 14 and 13, respectively. Amendola recorded a double-double, pulling down a game-high 13 boards.

Fenner and freshman Devin Thompson (Winthrop, Mass.) led the Nor’easters with 23 points apiece. Butler recorded a team-best seven rebounds.

Both teams host 3:00 p.m. CCC contests on Saturday, as Curry faces off against Endicott, while UNE matches up against Nichols.