BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University men's basketball team kicked off its 2026-27 campaign in impressive fashion on Friday evening, earning an 88-71 victory over Coast Guard at the Campus Recreation Center.
The Hawks (1-0) came out firing offensively, putting together a strong first half to take a 41-30 advantage into the break. Roger Williams continued its momentum after halftime, outscoring the Bears 47-41 in the second half to secure the season-opening victory on its home floor.
Miller Celebrates 1,000 Career Points
Prior to the opening tip, Roger Williams recognized senior guard Finn Miller (Stamford, Conn.) for reaching the 1,000-career-point milestone during his time with the Hawks after reaching the milestone in February against Nichols. Miller celebrated the achievement with a strong performance, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Balanced Offensive Attack Leads Hawks
Roger Williams showcased its offensive depth, with five players reaching double figures in the season-opening victory.
Leading the way was Ryan Hammarlund (Southington, Conn.), who poured in a game-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field while adding five assists and two rebounds.
Miller followed with 14 points, while Jake Sliwinski (Long Beach Township, N.J.) and Ryan Higgins (Boston, Mass.) each contributed 13 points. Sliwinski also recorded seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Higgins added four rebounds and two assists.
Adam Flauto (Whitinsville, Mass.) rounded out the Hawks' double-digit scorers with 12 points, three assists and two rebounds.
Coming off the bench, Joey Dwyer (Pembroke, Mass.) added seven points, while Colby Hurlock (West Hartford, Conn.) chipped in four points. Connor Spinney (Newburyport, Mass.) contributed three points, and Jake Fiorita (Danbury, Conn.) added two.
As a team, the Hawks shot an impressive 60.3 percent from the field (35-of-58), including 38.1 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-21). Roger Williams also controlled the glass, outrebounding Coast Guard 29-21, while recording 15 assists.
What's Next?
Roger Williams will look to carry its season-opening momentum into its next contest as the Hawks travel to Worcester, Mass., to take on Clark University on Wednesday, November 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
