Coast Guard downs Salve Regina by 15

SEAHAWK MEN'S BASKETBALL RESULTS
Coast Guard 92, Salve Regina 77
Rodgers Rec. Ctr. - Newport, R.I.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - Packy Witkowski (Melrose, Mass.) led all players with 30 points as the United States Coast Guard Academy men's basketball team defeated Salve Regina University, 92-77, at the Rodgers Recreation Center in non-league action in Newport. The Bears (2-0) led by as many as 31 points (77-46) with nine minutes remaining in the game, but Salve Regina outscored the visitors 31-15 the rest of the way, and 49-48 in the second half.

Mikey Spencer (Abington, Mass.) led the Seahawks (0-2) in scoring for the second straight game to start the season; he had 17 points on six of 14 from the floor including three 3-pointers.

Series and Streaks
The Bears have a 15-10 lead in the all-time series which included three seasons (1984-1987) when Coast Guard joined Salve Regina as founding members of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The Seahawks have won seven of the last 11 meetings since 1990; Coast Guard wins in Newport for the first time since 1988.

Three Stars of the Game

1. Coast Guard junior Packy Witkowski (Melrose, Mass.) led all players with 30 points on 11-of-14 from the floor including five of six from three-point range.
2. Salve Regina freshman Mikey Spencer (Abington, Mass.) led the Seahawks with 17 points on six of 14 from the floor including three 3-pointers. He also had a game-high nine rebounds.
3. Coast Guard senior Nolan Benson (Lexington, N.C.) also scored 17 points for his career-high on eight of 12 field goals and a free throw.

Key Stat of the Game
Both teams had 19 turnovers, both had 38 points in the paint, and the visitors had the edge in second-chance points (12-9), fast break points (12-9), and bench points (28-25). Both teams had nine 3-pointers; Coast Guard made one more free throw (13-12). Salve Regina missed 15 free throws.

Turning Point
The Bears led from start to finish, getting a double-digit lead in the first five minutes. A layup by Salve Regina sophomore Kevin Kelly (Valhalla, N.Y.) just after the 10-minute mark pulled the Seahawks back within nine (24-15). Benson and Jonathan Friberg (No. Attleboro, Mass.) traded jumpers to maintain the nine-point gap before junior Jason Frazer (West Haven, Conn.) nailed three straight treys and the Seahawks only got as close as 13 (89-77 following a Spencer 3-pointer at 2:03 in the second).

Quick Hits

• Kevin Kelly finished with 15 points on five of eight field goals, two-for-two from three-point range, before fouling out.
• Frazer and Justin Kane (Arnold, Md.) joined Witkowski and Benson in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
• Witkowski and Kane had six rebounds each for the Bears.
• All 16 Seahawks played in the game.

Next Up
Salve Regina plays its next four games away from Rodgers Recreation Center and starts in The Cave Classic against host Bridgewater State University on Friday, November 16 (5:30 p.m.). Coast Guard and Connecticut College host back-to-back dates for their shared tournament, "Coaches vs. Cancer," this weekend in New London, Conn. Medgar Evers (Fri. @ 8 p.m.) and Wentworth (Sat. @ 4 p.m.) are the two opponents for the Bears.