DANBURY, Conn. - Senior center Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, RI) led all scorers with a career-high 36 points, but the Rhode Island College men's basketball team suffered their third Little East Conference loss of the season in a 93-87, loss to Western Connecticut on Tuesday night at Feldman Arena.

Junior guard Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, NY) and sophomore backcourt mate Michael Palumbo (Providence, RI) added 11 and 10 points, respectively for the Anchormen.

Western senior guard DaQuan Brooks (Atlanta, GA) scored 35 points for the hosts. It was the third straight game that Brooks tallied 30 or more points and fifth time in the last seven games for the Colonials.

Also scoring in double figures for Western were Gary Robinson (Torrington, CT) with 17, Michael Kennedy (Newtown, CT) with a baker's dozen and Michael Jensen (Gales Ferry, CT) with 11 markers.

In the first half, Brooks scored seven of the Western's first nine points to give the Colonials an early 9-8 lead.  After a Rhode Island College layup, Western scored the game's next nine points to take an 18-10 lead

After a three-pointer by senior Robinson kept Western on top by six points, Rhode Island College went on a seven-point run to take the lead, 24-23.  Sophomore Jengodji Gates (New Haven, CT) scored the game's next five points to put Western back ahead by four at the 5:12 mark.

A pair of free throws by freshman Luis Bridtter (Stamford, CT) gave Western a six-point lead, but RIC senior forward Mason Choice (Newport, RI) answered with two free throws of his own to make the Western advantage 36-32 going into the locker room at intermission.

In the second half, the Colonials built their largest lead of 16 points, 84-68, following a pair of free throws from Brooks with 3:09 remaining.

The Anchormen would then rattle off 17 of the games next 21 points to draw within three points, 88-85 following a dunk from freshman forward Chris Burton (New Rochelle, NY), but the clock only had 37 seconds remaining on it

Western Ryan Pelletier (Wolcott, CT) contributed three of the Colonials' final five point to ice the victory. He finished with six points on the night.

For the game, Rhode Island College held a 44-38 advantage in rebounds, while Western had a 20-17 edge in assists. Western finished shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 76.3 percent from the line, while Rhode Island College finished 50.7 percent and 50.0 percent, respectively.

With the win, Western improves to 15-3 on the season and 6-2 in the Little East Conference. Rhode Island College falls to 14-3 overall and 5-3 in the LEC. RIC has not lost more than three conference games in a season since dropping five in 2005-06, Head Coach Bob Walsh's first year guiding the club.

The 93 points allowed by the Anchormen, one of the top team's in the nation defensively, was the most since falling, 95-88, at Southern Maine on Jan. 11, 2011.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East Conference play at home against Eastern Connecticut on Saturday, Jan. 28 (3 p.m.).