BRISTOL, R.I. – A tip-in by Dan Gumb (Patterson, N.Y.) with 1.9 seconds left pushed the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team to victory in a thrilling finish, as the Hawks defeated the University of New England 84-82 Saturday afternoon.

 

The first half was highlighted by the perimeter shooting of Ben Camobreco (Duxbury, Mass.), who went 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from behind the arc, and a significant basket by Geoff Baranger (Fairfield, Conn.). With his layup at the 11:22 mark, Baranger joined the exclusive 1,000-point club at Roger Williams. He finished the game with a team-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting and now has 1,021 career points.

 

The Nor'Easters rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to make things close in the end. UNE rode the hot shooting of Johnnie Jefferson (Dallas, Tex.) in the comeback, who scored a career-high 33 points in the game.

 

Trailing by four with 57 seconds to play, Jaykyri Simpson (East Cleburne, Tex.) pulled UNE within one after converting a three-point play. Billy Barrett (Fairfield, Conn.) sank a pair of free throws after being fouled on the next Hawk possession, but Jefferson knotted the game at 80 with 43 seconds to go with a three-pointer from the right elbow.

 

On the next Hawk possession, Baranger knocked down two foul shots to put RWU up 82-80, but Jefferson answered with a jumper on the other end to make it 82 apiece with 24 seconds to go.

 

With the clock winding down, Corey Fava (Aliso Viero, Calif.) drove down the middle of the paint, putting up a shot that bounced off the back of the rim. Gumb was able to get the rebound, tipping in the miss to put RWU ahead 84-82. The Nor'Easters could only manage a full-court heave that fell short as RWU escaped with the win.

 

Camobreco finished with 21 points including five buckets from downtown. Michael Woolley (Seattle, Wash.) scored 10 off the bench.

 

Simpson scored 20 points for the Nor'Easters, while Steve Belmonte (Levittown, N.Y.) and Issac Stickney (Rumford, Maine) finished with 14 and 12, respectively.

 

Roger Williams (12-9, 7-1 TCCC) plays its final home game of the regular season Tuesday at 8:00 p.m., when the Hawks take on Anna Maria College. University of New England (12-9, 6-3 TCCC) hosts Endicott College Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.