BRISTOL, R.I. – Sophomore Marcos Echevarria (Lynn, Mass.) poured in a game-high 30 points to lift the Nichols College men's basketball team to a key 78-63 road win at Roger Williams University in Commonwealth Coast Conference action Wednesday night at the Recreation Center Gymnasium.
 
Coming off the worst shooting performance of his career, Echevarria canned 10-of-19 from the field – including eight of his 14 three-point attempts – to go along with four dimes and three steals in 36 minutes of action. Senior captain Devin Stallings (Waterbury, Conn.) and freshman Tyler Dion (Barre, Mass.) each scored 11 points while freshman Jerome Cunningham (Westport, N.Y.) collected eight points, nine rebounds, and two blocks.
 
Nichols converted 23 RWU turnovers into 21 points and won despite allowing the Hawks to shoot 48 percent from the field (22-of-46). The Bison, however, took 23 more shots and finished the evening shooting 36 percent. Each team grabbed 37 rebounds.
 
Sophomore Austin Coene (Tyngsborough, Mass.) led the Hawks with 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Junior Jaylen Jennings (Norwalk, Conn.) registered 12 points and six boards. The Hawks outscored NC 38-28 in the paint but struggled from the charity stripe, making 10 of their 20 attempts.
 
The Hawks opened up an 11-point lead midway through the first half (25-14) before the Bison closed the stanza on a 29-4 run to move in front 43-29. Dion sparked the run with back-to-back triples before Echevarria scored 10 points and Stallings added six. Echevarria led all scorers with 15 points while Coene and junior Conor O'Brien (Sharon, Mass.) each scored eight for the home team.
 
Echevarria rattled home a three-pointer four minutes into the second half to extend the Bison lead to 18. Consecutive three-pointers from Coene and Jennings helped the Hawks get to within 10 at 51-41 before Nichols ripped off an 11-3 run – capped off by a three from senior Nate Tardy (Moodus, Conn.) – to move back in front by 18 with less than nine minutes remaining. A three from Echevarria and a free throw from Stallings made it 72-52 with under five minutes to play.
 
All-Time Series
Tonight's contest marks the 49th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Roger Williams University. The win extends the Bison's win streak over the Hawks to eight, and they now lead the series 28-21.
 
Next Games
Nichols (13-5, 8-3 CCC) – Saturday, January 28 vs Gordon, 12:00 p.m.
Roger Williams (14-4, 8-3 CCC) – Saturday, January 28 vs Eastern Nazarene, 3:00 p.m.