FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2008

Rhode Island College Men’s Basketball Score Report

Providence, RI

1

2

Final

Plymouth State (5-16, 1-9)

39

45

84

Rhode Island College (16-5, 8-2)

48

42

90

ANCHORMEN ESCAPE WITH, 90-84, WIN OVER PANTHERS
LYONS & JOHNSON PACE RIC ATTACK FROM THE PAINT

            Providence, RI—The Rhode Island College men’s basketball team improved its record to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in the Little East Conference in a 90-84 win over Plymouth State University Saturday afternoon at The Murray Center. The Panthers fall to 5-16 overall and 1-9 in league play.

The victory sets up an LEC showdown with No. 2 UMass Dartmouth (20-1, 9-1) on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in North Dartmouth, Mass.

The Anchormen blitzed the Panthers in the first half, opening a 12-point advantage, 19-7, on a junior guard Bobby Bailey (Fall River, MA) layup at 14:35. RIC kept the pressure up for the entire frame, forcing 11 turnovers on nine steals, to build a nine-point, 48-39, lead at halftime.

The Panthers methodically whittled away their deficit to just one-point, 58-57, with 10:37 left in the game. Sophomore guard Jason O’Keefe (Everett, MA), on two three-pointers, and senior center Chris Wilkinson (Newmarket, NH) keyed the comeback with six points apiece.

The Anchormen were undaunted, embarking a 14-0, five-minute run, to build a 72-57 advantage with 5:36 left on the clock. Junior center Wil Lyons (Warwick, RI) contributed six points during the surge, which was capped by freshman guard Antone Gray’s (Providence, RI) trifecta.

RIC led by 11, 82-71, with 1:07 remaining before the pesky Panthers forced two turnovers and converted on six consecutive possessions to cut the lead to a precarious two points, 86-84, with six seconds left. O’Keefe paced the run with eight points. The hosts sealed their eighth conference win on two free throws apiece by Lyons and junior guard Cameron Stewart (Newport, RI).

Junior forward Kaseem Johnson (New Haven, CT) recorded 17 points and seven rebounds in the first half and finished with 21 points and 12 boards to earn his seventh double-double of the year. Lyons was another force in the paint, concluding the contest with a team-high 25 points and eight boards. Bailey was dominant defensively, logging six steals and six rebounds to go along with 12 points.

O’Keefe finished with a game-high 26 points, while Wilkinson and junior guard Ben Huntington (Hampstead, NH) contributed 19 and 18 points, respectively.

In upcoming action, Plymouth State will host Keene State on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Junior forward Wil Lyons

-end-