NEWPORT, R.I. -- Salve Regina University used a 20-2 run over eight minutes early in the second period to wipe away a seven-point deficit on its way to a 61-51 victory over the University of New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Rodgers Recreation Center.
Isiah Pringle and Ryan Birrell scored 22 of their combined 28 points after halftime to help the Seahawks (11-7) rally and get to 9-2 in league play -- maintaining a two-game lead in conference standings.
UNE (3-15, 3-8 CCC) led 28-26 coming out of the break, and five points by senior J.D. Winn (Austin, Texas) bumped the gap up to seven (33-26).
From there, Salve Regina seized control and built an 11-point cushion (46-35) with just under 10 minutes left. Pringle had seven of SRU's 20 points in the stretch. The margin was still 11 (57-46) after a Birrell lay-up with 4:02 on the clock, before Big Blue senior Jarryd Rossignol (Caribou, Maine) tossed in the next five points to trim the difference to six (57-51).
Pringle -- who finished with a game-high 16 points -- canned a trey on the ensuing possession all but sealed the win for the Seahawks.
Birrell put together 12 points, eight rebounds, and six assists --almost all in the second half -- in support, while Jeff Bielefeld posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Williams Smiley also ended the contest in double figures with 11 points.
UNE received 13 points from senior Marcus Winn (Austin, Texas) -- eight of which came in the opening 20 minutes. First-year Jordan Ferreira (Nantucket, Mass.) added 12.
The match went back-and-forth in the first period, and Salve held a 26-22 lead late until four points from junior Charles Fenner III (Bronx, N.Y.) and a jumper from Marcus Winn a few ticks before the halftime buzzer gave the visitors a two-point edge (28-26) at intermission.
For the game, the Seahawks made 30 trips to the charity stripe and cashed in on 16 points from those tries, while the Nor'easters were just 4-of-7 in free throws on the day.
Each team is back on the hardwood Tuesday (8 p.m.), as Salve entertains Western New England University and UNE travels to Curry College.