BRISTOL, R.I. – Nichols was able to outlast the Roger Williams University men's basketball team on Tuesday evening in the RWU Campus Rec Center, falling 98-77, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play.
 
Mac Annus (Belmont, Mass.) tied the game-high with 24 points off an 8-15 shooting performance, with three blocks, and five rebounds, knocking down five shots from beyond the arc. John Ah Kao (Dumont, N.J.) had 15 points, while Sean Gogolin (Winchester, Mass.) added 10 points, five rebounds, a pair of assists as well as two blocks and a steal. Ty Higgins (New Marlborough, Mass.) had 13 points in the contest, with Finn Miller (Stamford, Conn.) chipping in nine points, with nine rebounds, and six assists.
 
Deshaun Nettles had 24 points with an 11-17 night from the field, with Mykel Derring adding in 23 points.
 
Both teams had 11 turnovers in the contest with the Bison leading in points off the bench with 45, and second chance points with 27. Nichols also outscored Roger Williams with 62 points in the paint to the Hawks' 28.
 
The two squads were even at 10-10 but Nichols took the lead with a pair of free throws by Dominic Mello, 6:06 into the game, a lead they would not relinquish. After trailing by 12 in the final 1:30 of the half, Roger Williams saw Gogolin finish a jumper, before Annus knocked down a three to cut the halftime deficit to 45-38.
 
In the second half, Roger Williams cut the lead down to three with 14:29 remaining after Annus knocked down a jumper in the paint. Nichols then expanded their lead to as many as 21 over the final stretch on their way to the victory.
 
Roger Williams (4-7, 3-1 CCC) will face Wentworth on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 pm in the Nelson Recreation Center.  The Hawks will then host Gordon on Saturday, Jan. 6.