Seahawks top Hawks, 72-49

NEWPORT, R.I. (February 8, 2022) - Kevin Kelly (Valhalla, N.Y.) shared game-high scoring honors (17 points) with Cameron Collins (Montville, N.Y.), and sank three 3-pointers (one while falling down and banking off the glass) as Salve Regina University defeated Roger Williams University, 72-49, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball action at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Tuesday evening.

Salve Regina (17-5, 12-3 CCC) has swept the two teams (Wentworth and Roger Williams) that have defeated Nichols College, the only team that has swept the Seahawks. The Bison and Seahawks are now one and two in the standings while Nichols enjoys the tiebreaker between the programs.

Kelly did his primary damage in the first dozen minutes of the second half after the Hawks (12-7, 9-5 CCC) had cut into a 13-point halftime deficit (38-25) to pull within four (42-38). Three successive 3-pointers - Drew Hart (Cheshire, Conn.), John Ah Kao (Dumont, N.J.), and EJ Nelson (Essex Junction, Vt.), in order - sparked the visitor's surge after Collins opened the scored in the second twenty with a put back.

Collins had another layup at 14:38 for a six-point lead before Kelly's first trey of the game at 13:48 bumped it back to a nine-point edge. Kelly's second long-distance shot came after he was successful on a driving layup. His final 3-pointer, at 11:04, came on a second-chance opportunity for the Seahawks with the reset shot clock winding down and Kelly dancing in front of his bench near the sideline. Getting his shot attempt away before the buzzer, Kelly banked it off the glass while falling down. That boosted the Seahawk lead to 15 (56-41).

The Seahawks dominated in the paint, 38-18, and had twice as many second-chance points (12-6) as the Hawks. Senior Mikey Spencer (Abington, Mass.) chipped in 13 points and reserve Jojo Powers (Dedham, Mass.) had a season-high 11 points. Collins and Nelson led their respective squads in rebounding, both with eight apiece. Eli Harris (Falmouth, Mass.) and Mac Annus (Belmont, Mass.) led the Hawks with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Salve Regina hosts Endicott College on Saturday, February 12 (3 p.m.) while celebrating an alumni reunion.