December 12, 2006
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RIC
Rallies Past Coast Guard, 76-71
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NEW LONDON, Conn.--Rhode
Island College rallied past the Coast Guard Academy, 76-71, this
evening in non-conference men’s basketball action. The Anchormen
overcame a 19-point first half deficit to earn their fourth
consecutive victory and the program’s best start since the 1992-93
club opened the campaign with an 8-1 mark. |
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Sophomore guard Bobby
Bailey (Fall
River, Mass.) and
senior guard Kinsey Durgin (Greenwood,
Maine) paced Rhode
Island College with 14 points each, while sophomore guards Cameron
Stewart (Newport,
R.I.) and
Tirrell Hill (Bronx,
N.Y.) scored 13
and 12, respectively. Bailey also handed out a game-high six assists.
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The Anchormen (7-1) took the
lead for good, 70-68, on a three-pointer by Stewart with just 70
seconds remaining in regulation, while Bailey hit four straight
attempts from the charity stripe down the stretch to ice the victory
for the visitors. |
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The Bears (6-3) dominated the
opening 15 minutes, jumping out to their largest lead of the game,
41-22, with 5:30 remaining on the clock. |
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Rhode Island College started
its rally in the latter stages of the half, limiting Coast Guard to
just one field goal in the final 5:30, while outscoring the hosts
16-4. The Anchormen scored the final 11 points of the stanza to close
within seven points (45-38) at the intermission. |
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Rhode Island College
continued to apply the defensive pressure in the second half, holding
the Bears to just 25.8 percent from the floor on eight-of-31 attempts.
Coast Guard’s shooting percentage is the lowest allowed in a half by
the Anchormen this season. |
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Hill knocked down a
three-pointer to give the Anchormen their first advantage of the
contest at 56-53. The Bears responded with a 7-0 run capped an Al
Sowers three-point play with
9:27
left. |
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Rhode Island College
continued to claw back in the game, tying the match at 65-all on a
basket by Durgin nearly three minutes later. The Anchormen
sealed the contest with an 11-6 run to remain perfect against
non-conference opponents, raising their mark to 6-0. |
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The visitors held the edge in
shooting percentage, draining 50.8 percent from the field, 28.6
percent from behind the arc, and 71.4 percent from the foul line.
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Rhode Island College returns to action at 7 p.m.
on Dec. 15, when the Anchormen host Springfield College. |