BRISTOL, R.I. – A late rally fell just short for the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team, as the Hawks fell to Wheaton College Thursday evening by a 76-71 score.

 

Wheaton jumped out to a hot start, beginning the game on a 10-1 spurt over the first three minutes. The Hawks eventually climbed back into the game, tying the contest at 16 at the halfway point. RWU took the lead three times in the half, but never more than a basket. After going up 32-30 with 1:37 left in the half, the Lyons closed the period on a 7-0 run to take a five-point advantage into the second frame.

 

The Lyons maintained control early in the second half, taking a 50-36 lead with 15:26 to play. The Hawks' comeback attempt spanned an eight minute stretch, chipping away at the lead until a Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, Conn.) free throw tied the game at 57 with 7:01 to play. On the next possession, Ryan Sasso sank all three of his free throws after being fouled on an attempt from downtown to put the Lyons back on top.

 

The Hawk deficit remained until Tucker Bashaw (Williston, Vt.) drained a trey to make it 69-70, pulling RWU within one with 1:16 to play. That would be as close as the Hawks would get over the rest of the game, as Wheaton closed out on a 6-2 run to secure the victory.

 

Michael Woolley (Seattle, Wash.) led RWU with 17 points. Baranger had 15 points and seven rebounds while Bashaw finished with 15 points and three boards.

 

Jaxon Leo (Leesburg, Va.) and Ryan Sasso (Peabody, Mass.) each scored 17 for the Lyons in the game, going 4-for-8 from behind the arc between the two.

 

Roger Williams (3-4) heads up to Providence Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. meeting with Johnson & Wales in its last game of the 2007 calendar year.