BRISTOL, R.I. – A late push by the Roger Williams University Women's Basketball helped the Hawks slip past Eastern Nazarene College with a thrilling 72-70 overtime win Wednesday evening.

The game was neck-and-neck throughout, as evidenced by 13 lead changes and 14 ties. A strong shooting performance by both teams in the first half gave way to timely defense in the second half. Roger Williams trailed by a slim 38-40 margin despite shooting 54.5% in the frame (18-of-33). The Lions shot nearly as well, going 16-of-34 for a 47.1% clip.

The turning point in the game came late in the second half, as the Hawks chipped away at a seven-point deficit with 5:45 to play to pull within two (64-66) with 15 seconds to play on a jumper by Lauren Stumper (Simsbury, Conn.). On the ensuing Lion possession, the Hawks, having only three team fouls up to that point, committed three consecutive fouls while taking four seconds off the clock.

On the fourth inbound, Alexandria Lanieri (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) snagged an overthrown ball in the back court and fed it to Kaitlyn Bovee (Berlin, Conn.). Bovee then went the length of the court and drove to the basket for the game-tying layup with 1.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Ace Carradine (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Dianna Bonds (Marietta, Ga.) scored the first two baskets in the period for Eastern Nazarene, as the Hawks would be held scoreless until 2:44 left on a pair of Lanieri free throws. Lanieri would later tie the game at 70 apiece on a basket in the paint with 1:35 to play.

The Hawks would ultimately get possession of the ball with just over three seconds between the game clock and shot clock. The possession would result in a Lion foul on Amanda Keane (Wilmington, Mass.) on a drive to the basket. Keane would knock down both freebies to give the Hawks a two-point lead.

Eastern Nazarene had a chance to send the game into another extra period, but the jumper by Alexis Malloy (Washington, D.C.) did not drop, giving the Hawks the win.

Bovee finished with a career-high 25 points along with eight rebounds. Lanieri stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, nine boards, five assists, four blocks, and four steals. Stumper added ten points and five assists, while Paige Congdon (Westwood, Mass.) had four points, four assists, and ten rebounds off the bench.

 Shardae Brown (Waterbury, Conn.) led Eastern Nazarene with 15 points, while Malloy had a solid game with 13 points, 14 boards, and five assists. Carradine finished with eight points, eight assists, and four steals.

Roger Williams (4-0, 1-0 CCC) travels to Endicott while Eastern Nazarene (3-3, 0-1 CCC) hosts Wentworth, with both games on Saturday.