Box Score BRISTOL, R.I. – Western Connecticut State University won the 2015 Courtyard By Marriott Tip-Off Tournament over the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team with a 66-58 win over the Hawks Saturday afternoon. Bowdoin College took third place in the tournament with an 86-74 win over Daniel Webster College in the Consolation Game.
 
Roger Williams and Western Connecticut started the game off slow but were equally matched skill wise. The Hawks held a slight 13-10 lead at the 11-minute mark. Elias Rodriguez (Bristol, Conn.) closed the gap with a three pointer with ten minutes left in the half. He hit another three-pointer two minutes later putting the Colonials in the lead 18-16.
 
Sloppy play early by both sides stayed consistent as the game progressed. Freshman Aaron Samuel (Stratford, Conn.) hit a three, advancing the Colonials lead to seven. A pair of free throws by Jauch Green (Hartford, Conn.) pushed their lead to nine with four minutes remaining.
 
Nick Marini (Loudonville, N.Y.) kept the Hawks in it with a quick basket, followed by a three-pointer by teammate Conor O'Brien (Sharon, Mass.), bringing the Hawks up by one, 29-28. Jaylen Jennings (Norwalk, Conn.) came in with another basket.
 
Rodriguez hit the last shot of the half, to bring the score to a 31-30 Hawks lead going into halftime. Marini led the Hawks in the first half with 11 points and three assists while Rodriguez led Western Connecticut with a solid ten points.
 
The score teetered back and forth throughout the second, both teams struggling to land baskets. Western Connecticut pulled away at the 13-minute mark, in the lead by eight points, 43-37.
 
Leonardo Atkinson (Nantucket, Mass.) tipped in a missed shot, resulting in a 41-47 score, the Hawks trailing by six with ten minutes to go in the game. He then scored a layup, tightening the gap to four.
 
At the seven-minute mark Jennings came in with a much-needed three pointer for the Hawks. The score remained in favor of the Colonials at the five minute mark, 55-51. Both teams stayed aggressive, but the Hawks struggled to overtake the Colonials lead.
 
O'Brien scored on a missed layup by Marini, bringing the score to a close 60-56 with just over a minute left. O'Brien landed another basket, the Hawks behind by four. A pair of free throws by Luis Bridtter (Stamford, Conn.) and Phil Starks (Hartford, Conn.) brought the gap to eight, leaving the Hawks unable to catch up.
 
Marini, an all-tournament team selection, led RWU with 17 points and eight rebounds. Jennings added 15 points and three rebounds off the bench.
 
All-tournament team selection Bridtter finished with seven points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Tournament MVP Tracy Rumley (Meriden, Conn.) finished with ten points, three assists, and three boards.
 
In the consolation game, Lucas Hausman (Westport, Conn.) brought the game to a quick start with a layup in the first 30 seconds for the Polar Bears. Ray Farmer (Nashua, N.H.) followed with a three pointer for Daniel Webster.
 
At the ten-minute mark, Bowdoin had a small two point lead, which was evened at 8:35 with a basket by Donny Powell (New Rochelle, N.Y.). The score continued to go back and forth with baskets by both teams. With seven minutes to go, Bowdoin led by two, 24-22.
 
The eagles hit two consecutive threes by Farmer and Jared Harrington (Upper Marlboro, Md.) to put them in the lead with five minutes left in the period, 33-28 and extended it to 38-30 with under two minutes in the half.
 
Hugh O'Neil (Lexington, Mass.) and Jack Simonds (Falmouth, Maine) put up the last two baskets of the half, putting Bowdoin within two of DWC.
 
Both teams continued to play strong defensively and offensively throughout the second half.
The Polar Bears eventually overtook Daniel Webster and held a slight lead over the Eagles halfway through the period, 61-56.
 
The Eagles mounted a small comeback with a tip-in by Tevon Smallpiece (Dorchester, Mass.), to bring the gap within one with 7:30 to go in the game.
 
Bowdoin pushed their lead to six, 69-63 with a big three from Matt Palecki (Southborough, Mass.). Their lead was secured with one minute to go, ahead by 12.
 
All-tournament team Hausman landed a solid 26 points for the Polar Bears, going 11-for-12 from the free throw line. Teammate Simonds also put in substantial work for Bowdoin with 21 points and eight rebounds.
 
Harrington and Farmer came out on top for points for Daniel Webster, both totaling 19. Farmer, an all-tournament member, also added six rebounds and five assists.