NEWPORT, R.I. – Sophomore Marcos Echevarria (Lynn, Mass.) dropped in a team-high 27 points in a 97-79 win over Salve Regina University in Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Rodgers Recreation Center.
 
Echevarria also handed out four assists while junior Daequon Antoine (Fort Mill, S.C.) chipped in with 17 points off the bench in 19 minutes for Nichols, which shot 58 percent and canned 10 three-pointers. Freshman DeAnte Bruton (New London, Conn.) filled the stat sheet with 18 points, five rebounds, and a pair of steals.
 
Senior Nicholas Bates (Danvers, Mass.) recorded a game-high 34 points and snared 17 rebounds for the Seahawks. Classmate Connor Costello (Southborough, Mass.) was the only other SRU student-athlete to reach double-figures in scoring as he scored 12 points to go with four rebounds and two assists. Salve Regina made 47 percent of its shots (3-of-15 three-pointers) and outrebounded the Bison 42-31.
 
Nichols held a 49-30 lead at halftime as Echevarria scored 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting – including 3-of-5 from downtown and 4-of-4 from the line. Bruton threw in 10 points and freshman Jerome Cunningham (Westbury, N.Y.) racked up seven points and three rebounds. Bates registered 13 points and eight boards for the Seahawks in the opening stanza.
 
Antoine converted a layup at the 10:55 mark of the second half to extend the Bison's lead to 30 points (76-46). Five minutes later, Nichols opened up its largest lead of the afternoon at 31 points when Antoine made another layup.
 
All-Time Series
Today's contest marked the 51st all-time meeting between Salve Regina University and Nichols College. The Bison have now won nine in a row against the Seahawks and now lead the series, 26-25.
 
Next Games
Nichols (18-5, 13-3 CCC) – Wednesday, February 15 @ Eastern Nazarene, 7:00 p.m.
Salve Regina (8-14, 6-10 CCC) – Tuesday, February 14 @ Endicott, 7:30 p.m.