NEWPORT, R.I. - Senior guard Ryan Birrell (Hope, R.I.) copied his younger sister, Kaitlyn, from the earlier game Saturday, leading Salve Regina University men's basketball to a 95-82 victory over Endicott College with his second double-double of the season (21 points, 10 assists).
The third-straight win for Salve Regina (13-9; 7-4 TCCC) helped alter a five-way tie for fourth place in The Commonwealth Coast Conference to a four-way tie for third place. Endicott (14-9; 6-5 TCCC) joins two other schools one-game behind in the standings in a three-way tie for seventh place.
With two games remaining in league play, only Anna Maria College (10-1 TCCC) has secured its spot (one of eight) in the TCCC Championships.
Kaitlyn Birrell had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in a 68-64 win over the visiting Gulls. Her older brother followed that performance in his 3 p.m. game while totaling 19 assists in two wins this week.
A layup by sophomore guard Lance Greene (Dorchester, Mass.) with 14:50 left in the first half gave the Gulls their largest lead of the game (8-5). Seahawk senior guard Windell Hinkson (Groton, Conn.) nailed two 3-pointers - the latter becoming a four-point play on his made free throw - to give Salve Regina the lead the rest of the way.
Birrell scored five of his team-high 21 points during a 12-3 run near the end of the first half. The Seahawks went into the break up a dozen (48-36). The 48 points match a season-high single-half output for the Seahawks who also got that number in a win against Coast Guard on January 2.
Endicott cut a 20-point second-half deficit (80-60 with 8:16 remaining) in half with two layups and six free throws during a 10-0 run. Greene, who survived the final 13-plus minutes with four personal fouls, ignited the run with his layup. Freshman forward Lachlan McGee (Melbourne, Australia) brought the margin into single digits with his layup at the 2:44 mark (84-76).
Senior forward Dan Royce (Mahwah, N.J.) made the last Salve Regina field goal of the game at the 1:57 mark. The Seahawks made a season-high 30 free throws with eight different players contributing from the charity stripe.
In addition to Birrell, four other Seahawks scored in double figures. Freshman Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass.) had a season-high 18 points while also sharing team-high rebounding honors (seven) with Jeff Bielefeld (Littleton, Mass.).
Hinkson and Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.) had 14 points apiece with four and three 3-pointers, respectively. Royce had 11 points in 16 minutes. The Seahawks made nine 3-pointers for the third-straight game while holding their opponent to just two from behind the arc in the same span.
Magee led all scorers with 23 points while Greene finished with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Chris Galbraith (Lowell, Mass.) and Spencer Calling (So. Windsor, Conn.) both came off the bench to contribute 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Salve Regina travels to Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday before hosting Gordon College next Saturday. Endicott plays in Henniker, N.H., against New England College on Wednesday before finishing the regular season at home against Curry College on Saturday.
Newspaper Box Score
Endicott vs Salve Regina
02/12/11 3:00 pm at Newport, R.I. - Rodgers Rec. Ctr.
At Newport, R.I. - Rodgers Rec. Ctr.
SALVE REGINA 95, ENDICOTT 82
ENDICOTT (14-9; 6-5 TCCC)
Lachlan Magee 8-13 5-7 23; Lance Greene 5-13 5-6 15; Chris Galbraith 6-6 2-2
14; Spencer Calling 5-8 2-7 12; Erik Callo 3-5 0-0 6; Aaron Karkow 2-6 0-0
4; Hayden Palozej 0-2 3-4 3; Matt Bouvier 1-3 0-0 2; Jordan Lewis 0-1 2-2 2;
Tyler Burkhart 0-2 1-2 1; Dkhari Johnson 0-0 0-0 0; Bennett Knowlton 0-6 0-0
0; Tanner McEntee 0-1 0-0 0; Mike Alvarez 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 20-30 82.
SALVE REGINA (13-9; 7-4 TCCC)
Ryan Birrell 7-13 7-8 21; Patrick Dinneen 5-9 6-7 18; Isiah Pringle 5-7 1-2
14; Windell Hinkson 4-16 2-3 14; Dan Royce 3-6 5-6 11; Jeff Bielefeld 2-6
4-7 8; William Smiley 1-2 3-4 5; Alex La Rosa 1-1 0-0 2; Scott St. Lawrence
0-1 2-2 2; Joshua Hohlfelder 0-0 0-0 0; John Williamson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals
28-62 30-39 95.
Endicott 36 46 82
Salve Regina 48 47 95
3-point goals--Endicott 2-15 (Lachlan Magee 2-2; Lance Greene 0-2; Aaron
Karkow 0-4; Hayden Palozej 0-1; Tyler Burkhart 0-2; Bennett Knowlton 0-2;
Tanner McEntee 0-1; Mike Alvarez 0-1), Salve Regina 9-20 (Windell Hinkson
4-12; Isiah Pringle 3-4; Patrick Dinneen 2-3; Ryan Birrell 0-1). Fouled
out--Endicott-Jordan Lewis; Chris Galbraith, Salve Regina-None.
Rebounds--Endicott 43 (Lance Greene 9), Salve Regina 39 (Jeff Bielefeld 7;
Patrick Dinneen 7). Assists--Endicott 10 (Jordan Lewis 5), Salve Regina 19
(Ryan Birrell 10). Total fouls--Endicott 27, Salve Regina 23. Technical
fouls--Endicott-TEAM, Salve Regina-Ryan Birrell. A-511