The decision knocks UNE (5-19, 4-13 CCC) from contention for the last spot in the upcoming CCC tournament, now two games behind Western New England University (6-11 CCC) in the league standings. Big Blue will visit the Golden Bears in the regular-season finale on Saturday (3 p.m.).

The Bison (13-11, 8-9 CCC) trailed at the half, 33-32, but raced out of intermission with the initial 12 points of the frame in 2:43 to assume control (44-33). The gap was no less than nine the rest of the way. Sheehan had seven of his team's points in the deciding stretch.

Sheehan went 10-of-17 from the floor in the contest to end with 26 points, and accumulated eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals as well. Bennett drained 5-of-8 tries from downtown en route to 17 points, and added five caroms and three steals. Craig Merrick tallied three of Nichols' 14 triples to finish with nine points.

The Bison connected on 67 percent (18-for-27) of their shot attempts in the second period, and scored more than half (25) of their points in the final 20 minutes off 13 UNE turnovers.

The Nor'easters were led by senior Alex Alsadi (Scottsdale, Ariz.) with 11 points off the bench, and first-year Devin Thompson (Winthrop, Mass.) recorded 10. Both pulled in five boards. Sophomore Jake Abel (Fairfield, Calif.) registered all seven of his points in the first half, while first-year Mitch Loeman (Freeport, Maine) posted all seven of his in the second.

Nichols maintained a slight edge for most of the opening stanza, and built the difference out to seven (28-21) at the 6:44 mark. However, Big Blue notched 12 of the last 16 points in the period to head into the locker room with a cushion (33-32). The Nor'easters' final five points of the frame were Alsadi's first five of the night, giving the visitors a three-point lead before Sheehan closed the gap to one.

UNE made 52 percent (13 of 25) of its shots from the field in the half -- including a 6-of-12 performance from long range -- and eight of the nine players that entered the game scored.