BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team came away with a win in its first conference game of the 2007-08 season, defeating Nichols College 72-67 Saturday afternoon.

 

Hot shooting propelled the Hawks in the first half, as RWU shot 58.6% from the field in the period including a blistering 9-of-13 from three-point range to take a 43-32 advantage.

 

Though the Hawks' shooting cooled off in the second half, RWU still maintained its lead throughout the period, with a 64-49 advantage at the 5:07 mark being the largest Hawk lead of the game.

 

Despite the 15-point margin, the Bison managed to claw their way back into the game. Holding a 66-55 lead with 3:02 to play, a 9-0 Nichols run cut the deficit to only two with just over a minute to play.

 

Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, Conn.) sank two clutch free throws with 14 seconds to play to put the Hawks up by a 68-64 margin. On the ensuing possession, Nichols' Bryan Riley (West Boylston, Mass.) rimmed out a layup with eight seconds left that would have pulled the Bison back within two. $Travis O'Dell# (Brunswick, Maine), who came in for the first time of the game just before Baranger went to the line, came up with the rebound and was sent to the line for a pair of free throws.

 

After sinking the two shots at the line, Nichols continued to fight to the end, with Garret Bishop (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) draining a trey with 1.7 seconds left to make it a 70-67 game. On the inbound, Billy Barrett (Fairfield, Conn.) was fouled immediately to shoot the double bonus. Barrett put the game out of reach by hitting both shots at the charity stripe, as the Hawks escaped with the win.

 

Tucker Bashaw (Williston, Vt.) led the Hawks with 17 points including three treys, while Barrett and Baranger added 11 and 10 respectively. Ryan McGinn ((Plattsburg, N.Y.) chipped in with 10 off the bench, seeing his first action on the court in three games.

 

Nichols' Ryan Wilcox (West Granby, Conn.) led all scorers with 19 while Bishop added 15 to go along with Riley's 11 points.

 

Roger Williams (5-7, 1-0 TCCC) travel to Western New England College Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., while Nichols (3-9, 0-1 TCCC) hosts Endicott Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.