Providence, R.I.-Junior guard Nyheem Sanders (Pawtucket, RI) finished with a game-high 16 points, while senior guard Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, NY) added 10 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists, to guide the Rhode Island College men's basketball team to an 86-42 victory over Wheaton College on Thursday night at The Murray Center.

The 42 points allowed by the Anchormen tied a season-low, while the 86 points on the offensive end were the most scored by Rhode Island College (9-2) since the Anchormen dropped 87 in a loss to Western Connecticut on Jan. 24, 2012.

Three different Anchormen finished with double-digit scoring efforts, while 14 different Anchormen got on the scoreboard in the win.

"It was solid team effort and our depth really helped us tonight," said Head Coach Bob Walsh. "Our defensive intensity was there from the start and that carried us to the win."

The game was close through the first three minutes of the first half before the Anchormen began to pull away. RIC embarked on an 11-2 run, keyed by six Sanders' points, to go up, 17-8, with 14:58 left on the clock.

Wheaton College (6-4) trimmed its deficit to seven points with 13:30 on the clock, but the hosts countered with a 9-2 run, paced by four points from Carter and highlighted by a freshman center Mike Neal (Pawtucket, RI) dunk. A Palumbo three-pointer from the corner with 36 seconds left in the half sent the Anchormen into halftime on top, 35-21.

After taking a 14-point lead into the break, Rhode Island College tallied an astounding 51 points in the second half and outscored the Lyons by 30 through the final 20 minutes en route to the victory.

Rhode Island College shot a cool 53 percent (32-for-61) from the field, including a remarkable 57 percent shooting effort in the second half, while also going 32 percent (6-for-19) from downtown and 73 percent (16-for-22) from the free throw line.

Meanwhile, Wheaton struggled to shoot the ball on the evening, finishing with a dismal 29 percent (17-for-58) shooting effort from the floor. Furthermore, the Lyons shot just eight percent (2-for-26) from beyond the arc and 40 percent (6-for-15) from the charity stripe.

RIC outrebounded Wheaton, 46-33, and turned the ball over just 19 times, compared to 25 turnovers for the Lyons. The Anchormen also handed out 17 assists as a team, compared to just seven assists for the visitors.

Aside from excellent performances from Sanders and Carter, sophomore forward Chris Burton (New Rochelle, NY) helped pace the hosts with 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists in his second start of the season. Neal chipped in with nine points and seven rebounds, while junior guard Michael Palumbo (Providence, RI) and freshman guard Trevor Morgera (Newport, RI) each recorded six points off the bench.

On the other end, senior forward Brian Johnson (Roxbury, MA) posted a team-high 12 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Lyons. Sophomore forward Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, NH) finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three steals, while senior guard Scott Faucher (Lebanon, NH) added seven points off the bench.

In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will resume Little East Conference play at home against UMass Boston on Saturday, January 5 (3 p.m.).