BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams men's basketball team won their first game of the season against Western New England University on Wednesday evening, 90-79. The game was played at RWU's Campus Rec Center Gymnasium, opening Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play.

Finn Miller (Stamford, Conn.) led the Hawks with 23 points and nine rebounds, both career highs for the freshman. John Ah Kao (Dumont, N.J.) added a 20-point effort for Roger Williams, while Will MacDonald (York, Maine), Sean Gogolin (Winchester, Mass), and Mac Annus (Belmont, Mass.) all scored double digit points in the victory. Philip Sughrue (Winchester, Mass.) led the Hawks in assists (7) while putting up seven points of his own.

Both teams started hot on the offensive end. After trading baskets in the opening minutes, the teams were tied at 10. The Hawks then went on an 11-3 run to take the lead, thanks in part to six straight points by Miller. Roger Williams also went 5-5 on attempts from three to open the game, allowing them to expand their lead to as much as 11. Western New England battled back, slowly cutting into the Hawk's lead in the back end of the first half. A 9-0 run in the final minutes gave the Golden Bears a one-point lead, which they held onto going into halftime.

At the half, Western New England led Roger Williams 47-46. The Golden Bears shot 63.3 percent from the field in the first half, compared to the Hawks 57.1 percent. Though the Hawks held the lead for the majority of the first half, there were eight lead changes.

Western New England extended their lead by going on a 11-4 run to open the second half. Back-to-back buckets by Ah Kao and Miller cut the lead down to only four with 13 minutes left to play, and the Hawks continued to push the Golden Bears. After Western New England expanded their lead, the Hawks went on another run, highlighted by back-to-back dunks by Gogolin. With eight minutes left in the game, the teams were tied up at 66.

The final minutes of the game were dominated by Roger Williams. Starting with four minutes left in the half, the Hawks scored 11 straight points. Nine of these points were from Miller. The Golden Bears were shut down in the final four minutes, being held to four points while turning the ball over three times.

Roger Williams (1-5, 1-0 CCC) will travel to face Suffolk in a CCC tilt on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3:00 pm. The Hawks will then be on the road for their second straight CCC matchup against Curry on Tuesday, Dec. 5.