NEWPORT, R.I. - Rhode Island College (6-1) men's basketball benefited from a lethal inside-outside combination to hand Salve Regina University (3-4) its third straight defeat, 78-56, at the Rodgers Recreation Center during non-league action in Newport.
Senior guard Nick Manson (Newport, R.I.) enjoyed hometown cooking and lit it up from the outside with six 3-pointers to finish with 18 points. Junior center Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, R.I.) made efficient work inside with 10-for-13 from the floor to finish with a game-high 20 points.
Akinrola scored on a fastbreak layup with 10:39 remaining in the first half to tie the game at 14-14, and that ignited a 26-9 run for the visitors who led by 15 points (38-23) after a Manson 3-pointer with 2:08 left.
The Seahawks got as close as 10 points (46-36) following a 3-pointer from senior guard Windell Hinkson (Groton, Conn.). But a pair of layups from senior forward Carl Lee (Warwick, R.I.) capped a 16-4 run by the Anchormen over a five-minute stretch. Rhode Island College led by as many as 25 points (78-53) before freshman guard Alex Pratt (Nashua, N.H.) finished the scoring with his first career 3-pointer.
"Rhode Island did a tremendous job tonight executing their game plan and exposing our interior defense," said Seahawk head coach Sean Foster. "They deserve all the credit in the world for playing well on the road. Their team came to play from the opening tip, took it to us and out willed us. Our guys have a lot of work to do to compete with teams of that caliber."
Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass.) led Salve Regina with 11 points, while 11 different Anchormen scored for Rhode Island College. Senior point guard Ryan Birrell (Hope, R.I.) dished out seven assists for the Seahawks while junior swingman Mason Choice (Newport, R.I.) assisted on nine field goals for the visitors.
Rhode Island College improves to 23-6 in the all-time series with Salve Regina. The Anchormen play at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday while the Seahawks travel to Daniel Webster College for a non-league game.
Newspaper Box Score
Rhode Island Col. vs Salve Regina
12/07/10 7:30 pm at Newport, R.I. - Rodgers Rec. Ctr.
At Newport, R.I. - Rodgers Rec. Ctr.
RHODE ISLAND COL. 78, SALVE REGINA 56
RHODE ISLAND COL. (6-1)
Mike Akinrola 10-13 0-0 20; Nick Manson 6-16 0-0 18; Carl Lee 3-6 2-2 8;
Keith Hamilton 2-2 0-0 6; Steven Roberts 2-5 2-3 6; Mason Choice 2-6 1-5 5;
Michael Palumbo 1-2 2-2 4; Ashton Watkins 2-3 0-0 4; Tom DeCiantis 1-1 0-0
3; Ethan Gaye 1-4 0-1 2; Tahrike Carter 1-2 0-0 2; Kadeem Francis 0-2 0-0 0;
William Williams 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 31-65 7-13 78.
SALVE REGINA (3-4)
Patrick Dinneen 4-9 2-4 11; Windell Hinkson 3-14 1-1 8; Ryan Birrell 3-6 1-5
8; Scott St. Lawrence 1-4 4-6 6; Alex Pratt 2-2 0-0 5; Joshua Fuhrmeister
2-3 0-0 4; William Smiley 2-4 0-0 4; Dan Royce 1-5 2-2 4; Isiah Pringle 1-1
0-0 3; John Williamson 1-1 0-0 3; Jeff Bielefeld 0-2 0-0 0; Alex La Rosa 0-1
0-0 0; Tyler Sienkiewicz 0-0 0-0 0; Joshua Hohlfelder 0-0 0-0 0; Keith Zury
0-0 0-0 0; Bradley LeBlanc 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 10-18 56.
Rhode Island Col. 38 40 78
Salve Regina 28 28 56
3-point goals--Rhode Island Col. 9-22 (Nick Manson 6-13; Keith Hamilton 2-2;
Tom DeCiantis 1-1; Mason Choice 0-1; Ethan Gaye 0-1; Tahrike Carter 0-1;
Kadeem Francis 0-2; Carl Lee 0-1), Salve Regina 6-19 (Windell Hinkson 1-8;
Ryan Birrell 1-1; Patrick Dinneen 1-5; John Williamson 1-1; Isiah Pringle
1-1; Alex Pratt 1-1; Alex La Rosa 0-1; Scott St. Lawrence 0-1). Fouled
out--Rhode Island Col.-None, Salve Regina-None. Rebounds--Rhode Island Col.
39 (Steven Roberts 7), Salve Regina 34 (Ryan Birrell 7; Dan Royce 7).
Assists--Rhode Island Col. 17 (Mason Choice 9), Salve Regina 14 (Ryan
Birrell 7). Total fouls--Rhode Island Col. 18, Salve Regina 14. Technical fouls--Rhode Island Col.-None, Salve Regina-None. A-298