WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior guard Max Lee (Norwich) had 12 rebounds, eight assists and six steals and only one turnover in 40 minutes to help boost the Eastern Connecticut State University men's basketball team to a 71-54 non-conference win over Springfield College Wednesday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

Eastern (2-2) never trailed after closing the first half with a 15-4 run that erased a slim three-point deficit and gave the Warriors an eight-point, 33-25 lead. Senior guard Tyreice Woods (Hartford) came off the bench to score seven points in that run. The Warriors put the game away when they opened the second half on a 17-5 run that pushed the lead to 20, 50-30.

Springfield (1-3) got as close as 12 with just over three minutes left in the game, but Lee sank two free throws and first-year guard Dominic Dao (Terryville) followed with an inside basket off an offensive rebound by Lee as Eastern restored a 16-point lead with two minutes left.

Dao and senior guard Jalen Williams (Simsbury) each had 21 points, with Dao connecting for 18 of his points in the second half, when he was 7-of-9 from the floor and added three of his four three-pointers. Dao and Williams combined to shoot 15-of-29 from the floor and combined on six three-pointers, nine rebounds , five assists and four steals.

Lee had six points and four assists in each half and scored all three of his points from the stripe. Wood followed Williams and Dao with 16 points, 13 coming in the first half. Senior forward Rakesh Tibby (East Hartford) came off the bench to grab eight rebounds, six in the first half.

Springfield collected 11 offensive rebounds in the first half but turned them into only four second-chance points. The Pride finished with 21 offensive rebounds but managed only eight points off those extra chances.

First-year guard John Paulino  led Springfield with 18 points on near-50 percent shooting from the floor, with sophommore Andrew Rocci  pulling down 11 rebounds in helping the Pride to a +12 advantage on the boards.

Eastern visits Trinity College in a non-conference game Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.