Eastbayri.com

BRISTOL — The Roger Williams University Men’s Basketball team erased an 18-point deficit to come back and defeat Nichols College on Tuesday evening by a score of 79-75.

With the win, Roger Williams moves to 8-6 overall and 4-3 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Nichols has its three-game win streak snapped at three and falls to 5-9 (3-4 CCC).

Nichols held the lead throughout most of the game. After a jumper by Pat Flanagan (Somerville, Mass.) on the Hawks’ opening possession, Ryan Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) drained a three to give the Bison the lead.

The Hawks stayed within striking distance for the opening part of the first half. Yet Nichols turned a 26-22 advantage in a 38-23 lead in less than three minutes with a barrage of three-pointers, led by Craig Merrick (Ledyard, Conn.). Merrrick knocked down three consecutive treys to help Nichols to the 15-point lead.

Sheehan would give the Bison their largest lead of the game with a three to make it a 43-25 game with 5:09 left in the half. Nichols would eventually go into the break up by a 50-38 score.

After a Matt Langadas (Casco, Maine) to open the half, the Hawks scored seven straight to cut the deficit in half and pull within seven (45-52). Nichols continued to hold on to the edge, going back up by 13 on a layup by Marlon Bennett (Stratford, Conn.) with 11 minutes left (63-50). Yet Flanagan helped the Hawks climb their way back in the game, scoring six points as part of 10-0 run to come within three.

With Matt Grossbard (Pearl River, N.Y.) tied the game at 67 on a layup with 5:28 left, the Hawks earned their first lead since the opening minute on a layup by Joseph Henry (Medway, Mass.) to put RWU on top 70-69 with 2:40 to play. That basket was part of a 9-0 run for the Hawks that gave RWU a 76-69 lead with 52 seconds left.

RWU would hold on in the final minute, with Ryan Palumbo (Warwick, R.I.) sinking a pair of clutch free throws to make it a 79-75 game with 15 seconds left.

Flanagan sank his first 11 shots and finished with game-high 34 points on 12-of-14 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds for the Hawks. Palumbo added ten points, five rebounds, and four assists. Grossbard and Henry each added eight points, with Grossbard contributing four assists and Henry six rebounds.

Langadas set a new career high with 16 points in his first career start to go along with five rebounds. Merrick also set a new personal mark with 12 points on four three-pointers. Sheehan led the Bison with 19 points, while Bennett added 13 points. Michael Salis (Nashua, N.H.) had a game-high six assists.

On Thursday, Roger Williams hosts Western New England while Nichols hosts Salve Regina.

Women win

The Roger Williams University Women’s Basketball team rolled off its second straight win with a 76-61 victory over Nichols College on Tuesday evening.

Roger Williams improves to 8-6 overall and 4-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Nichols drops its fourth straight contest and falls to 3-11 overall and 2-5 in the conference.

Four Hawks scored in double figures, including Hannah Pirez (Bolton, Mass.) and Lisa Lutz (Downers Grove, Ill.) who each set a new career high with 16 points each. Kaitlyn Bovee (Berlin, Conn.) finished with a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Abby Marsh (Manchester, Vt.) also set a career high with 13 points, while Lauren Stumper (Simsbury, Conn.) added six points and career-best seven assists off the bench.

Kasey Pelletier (Dunstable, Mass.) finished with a team-high 16 points for the Bison. Hayley Zophin (Framingham, Mass.) added 15 points and eight rebounds. Kristina Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.) played the whole game, ending with nine points and five steals. Chelsea Shaughnessy (Halifax, Mass.) went for four points, six boards, and five steals.

Despite the Hawks scoring first on a jumper by Marsh, both teams battled back and forth early on, with four ties and two lead changes in the first ten minutes. Lindgren knocked down a shot for Nichols at the 13:04 mark to knot the game at 12. Bovee would then knock down back-to-back three pointers to give the Hawks a six-point advantage. RWU would hold on to the lead for the rest of the half, going into the break up by a 31-28 score.

In the second half, Zophin put in a layup with 15:21 to play to tie the game at 37 apiece. However, a 13-2 run over the next four minutes gave the Hawks their largest lead of the game, an 11-point advantage with 10:44 left (50-39). From there, Nichols was unable to pull closer than seven, as RWU came away with the win.

Roger Williams will host Western New England on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., while Nichols hosts Salve Regina Thursday at 7:30 p.m.