DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Despite a team-high 21 points from graduate student forward Jaheim Young (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a game-high nine rebounds from junior forward Jourdan Belcher (Elmsford, N.Y.), the Western Connecticut State University men's basketball team was edged at UMass Dartmouth, 87-84, in a Little East Conference matchup at Tripp Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. 

With the loss, the Wolves dropped to 13-4 overall and 6-2 in league play, while the Corsairs improved to 9-6 and 6-1.

Belcher and classmate Keeshawn Jones (Middletown, N.Y.) joined Young in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Junior forward Cameron Gallon (York, Pa.) chipped in with a game-high five steals for the visitors.

John Marcille was red-hot for the Corsairs, pouring in a game-high 26 points on 10-of-13 shots from the floor - six via the three-ball. Jackson Zancan added 19 points, while Jayquan Leonard tacked on 11 and a team-high eight boards.

UMass Dartmouth connected on 12-of-27 shots (44 percent) from beyond-the-arc, while WestConn managed just 4-of-13 (31 percent) in a contest that featured 11 lead changes.

The visitors led by as many as eight points early in the first half when rookie point guard C.J. Riley (Yonkers, N.Y.) sank a short jumper from inside the paint to make it 24-16. The hosts rallied and captured a 37-36 advantage when Zancan powered home a layup while being fouled and drilled the ensuing free throw attempt. Moments later, WestConn would answer and regain the lead. Sophomore guard Jaysean Morgan (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) scurried in for a righty layup at the buzzer, putting the Wolves ahead 42-39 at halftime.

It was a tightly contested back-and-forth second half until the Corsairs seemed to pull away. With 52 seconds remaining, Marcille notched a steal and a dunk, giving the hosts a seven-point lead, 84-77. But the Wolves didn't quit. Back-to-back trifectas from Jones and Gallon trimmed the deficit to 84-83 with 25 ticks left on the clock. The teams traded free throws in the waning seconds before Josh Lopes knocked down a pair, giving the Corsairs an 87-84 lead with six seconds to go. WestConn set up a final play and launched the potential equalizing three-pointer but it didn't fall and UMass Dartmouth escaped with the win.

The Wolves get a full week of practice and will look to return to their winning ways when they travel to Plymouth State for another conference tilt on Saturday at 3 p.m.