QUINCY, Mass. - The Eastern Nazarene men's basketball team lost to the hot shooting Hawks of Roger Williams University Senior Day, 81-66, in this final game of the season at the Lahue P.E. Center on the campus of ENC. 

With this The Commonwealth Coast Conference win, Roger Williams improves their record to 12-13 (4-9 TCCC) while Eastern Nazarene falls to 6-19 (4-8 TCCC) for the season. Senior Kennard Huston (Brunswick, Md.) played his final game as a Lion contributing 6 pts. and 5 rebs. while appearing in 50 games over the course of his career at Eastern Nazarene.

Leading, 16-13, just under the midway point of the first half; the Hawks went on a 10-3 run to extend the score to 26-16 with ten minutes to play.   But the Lions roared back with a 12-0 run capped by two free throws by Richard Lively (Pembroke, Mass.) to take the lead.  However, the Hawks went on a 9-0 run in the last three minutes to go into the half leading 37-28.  Pat Flanagan (Somerville, Mass.) scored 11 pts. in the first 20 minutes of play, shooting 5-6 (FG) from the field.

The Hawks increased their lead to fifteen, 50-35, with fifteen minutes remaining as the Lions struggled to establish themselves on the offensive end of the court.  However the Lions switched to a full court press and forced three turnovers and seven consecutive points by Max Barbosa (Dorchester, Mass.) bringing ENC back to within nine, 51-42. Then the Lions Aaron Johnson (Boston, Mass.) and Mike McCoy (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) combined for nine points to bring the Lions storming back, 55-53, capping a 16-4 run.

With the games result still in balance with five minutes remaining and the visitors leading 69-61, the Lions ran into foul trouble and witnessed the game slip away as the Hawks Taylor Petruccelli (Stratford, Conn.) scored seven of his 17 points to ice the Hawk victory in the final minutes of the game to win by fifteen, 81-66.

Barbosa led the Lions with 17pts followed by McCoy's 16pts. The Hawk's Gary Madison (Waterbury, Conn.) had the game high with a double-double, 18pts and 10rebs while Petruccelli scored 17 pts.  The Hawks shot an outstanding 50% from the field while the Lions held the advantage in steals, 12-3.

Both teams finish the 2009-2010 season tonight as they fall short of making the TCCC playoffs by a couple games.

- Release courtesy of Ben Wilson of the Eastern Nazarene College Sports Information Department