BRISTOL, R.I. — The Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team suffered a narrow Conference of New England (CNE) setback on Saturday afternoon, falling 80–75 to Nichols College inside the Campus Recreation Center. The Hawks led at halftime and were tied multiple times late, but Nichols closed the game at the free-throw line to secure the road victory.
Roger Williams opened the contest with strong energy, shooting 51.4 percent from the field in the first half and knocking down five three-pointers to build a 43–33 advantage at the break. The Hawks shared the ball effectively and controlled the pace early, limiting Nichols to 41.9 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
Nichols responded after halftime, outscoring RWU 47–32 in the second half and converting all 17 of its free-throw attempts over the final 20 minutes. The Bison repeatedly attacked the rim and capitalized on transition opportunities, eventually reclaiming the lead midway through the half. The game featured nine ties and nine lead changes, with the score knotted at 72–72 with just over three minutes remaining.
Finn Miller (Stamford, Conn.) led the Hawks with 19 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 8-of-13 from the field while adding three assists and two steals. Ashton Leclerc (Gorham, Maine) followed with 18 points, hitting four three-pointers, while Ryan Hammarlund (Southington, Conn.) contributed 12 points, three assists, and two rebounds. Philip Sughrue (Winchester, Mass.) anchored the interior with eight rebounds, and Owen Boudria (Westport, Mass.) added seven points and three assists off the bench.
Nichols was paced by Javen Flowers-Smith, who scored a game-high 28 points and went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Olivier St. Louis added 20 points and 19 rebounds, while Dominic Mello chipped in 16 points. Nichols finished the afternoon with a 47–39 rebounding advantage and scored 23 fast-break points.
Roger Williams battled until the final possession, cutting the deficit to three with 42 seconds remaining, but Nichols sealed the game at the line in the closing seconds. The Hawks will look to regroup as conference play continues Jan 14 against Suffolk at 7:30 PM.
