For Immediate Release

January 13, 2007

Durgin and Bailey Lift Anchormen Past Beacons, 86-77

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The Rhode Island College backcourt tandem of senior guard Kinsey Durgin (Greenwood, Maine) and sophomore guard Bobby Bailey (Fall River, Mass.) combined for 39 points to lift the Anchormen to a 86-77 Little East Conference men’s basketball victory over visiting UMass Boston this afternoon at The Murray Center. Rhode Island College raises its overall record to 13-1 and 4-1 in the conference circuit, while the Beacons slip to 5-8 and 1-4.

            Head Coach Bob Walsh has led his charges to a 10-game win steak and the best start in the program’s history, since the 1970-71 squad also raced out the identical mark.  

            Durgin paced five Anchormen in double figures with 21 points, including matching his season-high with five 3-point baskets, while Bailey poured in 18 points. Sophomore forward Kaseem Johnson (New Haven, Conn.) recorded his second double-double of the campaign, registering 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Tirrell Hill (Bronx, N.Y.) and senior swingman Brian Stanko (Swansea, Mass.) scored 14 and 10 points, respectively.

            The Beacons’ senior forward Tony Barros (Dorchester, Mass.) netted a game-high 37 points, including a blistering six-for-nine from the 3-point perimeter in the first half. Barros finished the contest 14-for-25 from the floor, including eight trifectas, while also grabbing six caroms and handing out two assists. Sophomore forward Rodney Bennett (Mattapan, Mass.) registered a double-double, scoring 14 points and hauling in a game-high 15 points. Junior forward Amigo Paniagua (Santiago, D.R.) also reached double digits in scoring with 15 points.

            Rhode Island College used a 15-3 surge to close out the opening half, seizing just its second advantage of the game. Durgin keyed the outburst with eight points, while Johnson chipped in with five points, as the Anchormen whittled away an 11-point deficit to take a 38-37 lead into the intermission.

            UMass Boston regained its advantage with a 15-7 run to open the second stanza. It would be the Beacons’ largest lead of the half at 52-45 with 14:06 remaining in regulation.

            Durgin drilled a shot from long range to stake Rhode Island College to its final advantage of the contest at 57-54 with 11:58 remaining. The hosts would balloon their advantage to 12 points in the latter stages of the game, when Stanko converted on his second attempt from the charity stripe with just 14 seconds on the clock. 

            Rhode Island College returns to action at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 16, when the Anchormen host Little East Conference rival Western Connecticut State University.

Kinsey Durgin, along with his parents and Rhode Island College President John Nazarian,
who presented him with the game ball from his 1,000th career point prior to the start of the contest.