BRISTOL, R.I. – A late rally by the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team fell just short as the #19-ranked University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth defeated the Hawks 67-60 Thursday evening.
Trailing 35-28 after the first half, the Hawks clawed their way back into the game, tying the contest at 45 on a
Ben Camobreco (Duxbury, Mass.) layup with 10:21 to play. The Corsairs would regain the lead on a free throw and a layup by Reece Freeman (Cambridge, Mass.).
The Hawks would then convert their next two possessions into baskets, as a pair of layups by
Michael Woolley (Seattle, Wash.) and
Dan Gumb (Patterson, N.Y.) put RWU up 49-48 with 6:15 left.
After a Tyler Turturo (Shelton, Conn.) jumper put UMass-Dartmouth up by one,
Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, Conn.) returned the favor with a layup of his own. The Hawk lead lasted only one possession, as Brandon Stephens (Dorchester, Mass.) knocked down a trey to give the Cosairs a two-point lead. UMass-Dartmouth kept the advantage over the rest of the game, as the Hawks could not pull closer than two over the closing minutes.
Baranger finished with his second consecutive 20-point game, dropping exactly 20 with three rebounds. Camobreco added 12 points and three assists off the bench.
UMass-Dartmouth's A.J. Tavares (New Bedford, Mass.) scored a game-high 21 points, while Freeman finished with a non-conventional double-double, scoring ten points with ten assists.
Roger Williams (4-8) will host Nichols College Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in its first TCCC game of the year. UMass-Dartmouth (12-0) will take its 19th ranking and undefeated record into conference play, as the Corsairs host Keene State College Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
