#25 Rhode Island College Holds Off UMass-Dartmouth
Ken Bell
UMass-Dartmouth news release…
UMASS DARTMOUTH FALLS TO RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE, 70-64
NORTH
DARTMOUTH, MA–Visiting Rhode Island College broke a 64-64 tie by
scoring the final six points in the final 36 seconds of the game and
escaped with a 70-64 victory over the University of Massachusetts
Dartmouth's men's basketball team in the second game of a Little East
Conference doubleheader at the Tripp Athletic Center Tuesday evening.
Junior
John Genkos' (Worcester, MA/Doherty HS) three-pointer capped a 17-6 run
and tied the game at 64 with 1:03 remaining. But senior guard Tahrike
Carter of the Anchormen (Brooklyn, NY/Benjamin Banneker HS) drew a foul
and hit a pair of free throws with 36 seconds left, then sophomore
forward Chris Burton (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle HS) blocked freshman
forward Abi Akanni's (Fitchburg, MA/Fitchburg HS) with 21 seconds
remaining. Senior guard Ethan Gaye (Providence, RI/Mount Pleasant HS)
was fouled and made two free throws with 15 seconds left and another two
with six seconds to play to clinch the victory.
The
Corsairs were outscored, 14-0 at the outset of the game, but rallied
and were within two at halftime, 29-27. RIC slowly pulled away in the
second half until UMD's late run left them in position in the final
minute.
UMD
sophomore guard Mike Rotando (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant
Beach HS/Bloomfield) led all scorers with 18 points, sophomore center
Alex Rodrigues (Fall River, MA/Durfee HS) had 12, and Genkos added 10.
Carter paced the Anchormen with 13 points, Gaye added 11, and junior
guards Tom DeCiantis (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown HS) and
Michael Palumbo (Providence, RI/Classical HS) and senior center Steven
Roberts (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse HS) each had 10.
“We
had our opportunities, and we didn't take advantage of them,” said
UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Brian Baptiste. “We had our opportunities
when we down by two points. Our guys worked hard and gave us a good
effort, but it just didn't turn out in our favor.”
UMass
Dartmouth fell to 2-12 and 0-6 in the Little East Conference with the
defeat, while Rhode Island College improved to 13-2 and 5-1 in the LEC
with the victory. The Corsairs will return to action when they visit
Keene State Saturday in the second half of a Little East Conference
doubleheader. The Anchormen will visit Plymouth State Saturday.
UMASSDARTMOUTH BASKETBALL
