Dinneen's late heroics clinch win for Seahawks

NEWPORT, R.I. - Junior Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass.) scored six of his 10 points in the final 1:40 of the game to lift Salve Regina University to a 67-63 victory over Eastern Nazarene College in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) contest at the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Salve Regina (11-9; 7-6 CCC) rallied from eight points down with under eight minutes remaining. The game featured 11 ties and eight lead changes.

After Jeff Bielefeld (Littleton, Mass.) opened the scoring with a layup in the first minute, Eastern Nazarene (14-6; 8-5 CCC) scored its first four baskets from four different players. Junior Brian Hard (Weymouth, Mass.) and freshman Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored their only baskets of the game during an early four-minute stretch.

Following a pair of free throws from senior William Smiley (Saunderstown, R.I.), Salve Regina had its largest lead of the game, 13-8, when freshman forward Brenden Fowler (No. Attleboro, Mass.) hit his only bucket at 12:08.

The Lions then had an 11-4 run which featured three baskets from freshman guard Jaylen Owens (Johns Creek, Ga.) and a layup and two free throws from his fellow Peach State freshman Eric Lynch (Alpharetta, Ga.).

Bielefeld's layup tied the score at 19-all before Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.) and Chima Ezeigbo (Roanoke, Va.) traded a couple of baskets apiece. Smiley had three successful layups during a 12-6 run for the Seahawks, but Eastern Nazarene tied the game at 29-all before intermission with baskets from Aaron Johnson (Roslindale, Mass.) and Owens.

Pringle hit a 3-pointer to open the second-half scoring; Bielefeld followed with a layup for another five-point edge. After Ezeigbo's layup at 13:29 forged the game's seventh deadlock (42-42), Max Barbosa (Dorchester, Mass.) hit a 3-pointer to continue the 12-2 run for Eastern Nazarene. Ezeigbo's traditional three-point play gave Eastern Nazarene its largest lead, 52-44, at 7:56.

Smiley hit a pair of free throws at 7:33 before Ezeigbo countered with a layup to maintain the eight-point edge.

Salve Regina took a one-point lead with a 13-4 run featuring 3-pointers from Pringle and sophomore guard Brendan Canova (Edina, Mass.). Owens' free throws helped ENC own the lead, 60-59, at 3:31.

After a Smiley layup, Lynch made one of two free throws at 2:12 for the game's 10th deadlock (61-61). Dinneen had a floating jumper from the left side at 1:40 before Ezeigbo collected his game-high 12th rebound and converted the offensive carom into a layup for the 11th tie, 63-63.

Dinneen hit the game-winning basket with 49 seconds left, avoiding a turnover while getting off his shot falling backwards. Later, Dinneen clinched the victory with a steal and layup.

Pringle finished with a game-high 22 points and Smiley added 16 for Salve Regina; Ezeigbo led ENC with a double-double (21 points, 12 rebounds) while Owens chipped in 18 points.

Salve Regina hosts first-place Curry College on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) while Eastern Nazarene travels to Gordon College.