Second Half Surge Sends Roger Williams Past Men’s Basketball, 103-89
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rivier (3-1,0-0 Great Northeast) | 51 | 38 | 89 |
|
Roger Williams (2-1,0-0 CNE) | 49 | 54 | 103 |
BRISTOL, RI — Roger Williams blew past the Rivier men's basketball team in the second half as the Raiders fell to the Hawks, 103-89, on Saturday evening at the Campus Rec Center Gymnasium in non-conference action.
The Raiders fell for the first time through four contests while the Hawks improved to 2-1 overall on the young season.
Neither team managed to gain the upper hand, as the first six minutes of the half featured five lead changes. A free throw by the Hawks put Roger Williams ahead 13-12 with 14:09 left on the clock. Rivier responded with a 7-2 run, highlighted by five consecutive points from graduate Joey Merrill and a layup from graduate Kyler Bosse, reclaiming the lead at 19-15 with 13 minutes remaining in the half. Roger Williams then countered with a 12-6 run to take a 27-25 advantage midway through the frame. The teams continued to square off, with the score knotted at 44 with 2:17 left in the half. Junior Robenson Baguidy sank a three-pointer with two seconds left on the clock, giving River a 51-49 lead heading into halftime.
An early run by the Hawks put the Raiders behind 61-56 with 15:49 remaining in the game, but Bosse responded with four consecutive points to narrow the gap to one. However, the Hawks maintained their lead and outpaced the Raiders for the rest of the second half, outscoring them 42-29 over a 13-minute stretch to clinch a 103-89 victory.
Bosse led the Raiders with 23 points on an efficient 10-of-16 (63%) shooting from the field and secured a team-high six rebounds. Merrill contributed 22 points, including a trio of three-pointers. Baguidy was a force on both ends of the floor, scoring 17 points on 5-of-8 (63%) shooting, to go along with two steals and a block. Junior Odarius Cade filled the stat sheet with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
The Raiders return to action on the road against non-conference opponent, Lesley, on Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Minuteman Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
