FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 15, 2008

Rhode Island College Men’s Basketball Score Report

Gorham, ME

1

2

Final

Rhode Island College (12-2, 4-0)

34

36

70

Southern Maine (5-9, 1-3)

28

25

53

RIC Wins 4th Straight at Southern Maine, 70-53
Hill Paces Attack With 19 Points

            Gorham, Maine— Junior guard Tirrell Hill (Bronx, NY) paced four student-athletes in double figures in scoring with a game-high 19 points to lead Rhode Island College to a 70-53 victory at Little East Conference foe Southern Maine this evening at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.  The start of the contest was delayed nearly an hour due to a power outage on the Huskies’ campus.

The Anchormen (12-2, 4-0 LEC) have won four straight games and nine of their past 10 contests. Hill reached double digits in scoring for the ninth consecutive game, knocking down nine-of-13 attempts from the field. Junior forward Wil Lyons (Warwick, R.I.) recorded 16 points, while classmate Bobby Bailey (Fall River, Mass.) and freshman guard Antone Gray (Providence, R.I.) each added 11 points. Gray dished out a game-high six assists, while Hill was credited with three steals. 

In a nip-and-tuck opening 20 minutes, Rhode Island College and Southern Maine (5-9, 1-3) exchanged the advantage on six different occasions. The Anchormen took their third and final lead with just 3 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in the frame on a Gray lay up to break a 26-26 tie. Gary and Hill each added four points apiece down the stretch as the visitors headed into the intermission with a six-point advantage (34-28). Hill was white-hot from the field in the first half, converting on five-of-seven attempts from the floor for 11 points. 

Rhode Island College built its first double-digit lead of the game just 2 minutes, 36 seconds into the second stanza. Junior guard Cameron Stewart (Newport, R.I.) ignited the 7-3 surge with his lone three-pointer of the game, while classmate Kaseem Johnson (New Haven, Conn.) and Hill each added a jumper.  The Huskies would cut the Anchormen advantage to seven with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation, but the visitors quickly ballooned their advantage back to double digits and coasted to the 17-point victory.

Senior forward Jamaal Caterina (Portland, Maine) led Southern Maine offensively with his third consecutive double-double—scoring 18 points and pulling in 12 rebounds—while  classmate forward Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, Vt.) chipped in with 10 points.

Rhode Island College returns to the hardwood on Jan. 19, when the Anchormen host Little East Conference rival Eastern Connecticut State University (7-6, 2-2) at 3 p.m. Rhode Island College will sponsor its annual NCAA  “Take a Kid to the Game,” where children under the age of 12 receive a free ticket with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket.

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