Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Junior guard Tom DeCiantis (N. Kingstown, R.I./Mt. Pleasant) scored a game-high 14 points and sophomore forward Chris Burton (New Rochelle, N.Y.) added a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to lead the No. 18 Rhode Island College Anchormen to a 64-46 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Sunday afternoon at the Murray Center in Providence, R.I.
Winning its fourth straight game, Rhode Island College improves to 20-3 overall and 11-1 in the conference. Southern Maine falls to 13-10 overall and 7-5 in the Little East with its third straight loss.
DeCiantis was 6-for-13 from the field to pace RIC, while Burton was 5-for-11. Senior guard Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker) added nine points and grabbed five rebounds.
Southern Maine junior guard Conor Sullivan (Scarborough, Maine) was the only USM player in double figures with 10 points. Senior guard Alex Kee (Bath, Maine/Morse) added nine points and five rebounds. Senior guard Mike Poulin (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook) tossed in eight points, five rebounds and three steals.
Southern Maine trailed by just three points, 17-14, with 10:37 remaining in the opening half following a basket from junior guard Brandon Tomah (Princeton, Maine/Calais), but the Anchormen went on to outscore the Huskies 16-5 to take a commanding 33-19 lead at the break. DeCiantis scored nine of his 14 points in the opening half, including seven points in the pivotal 16-5 run to close out the half.
RIC held a comfortable lead throughout the second half. A dunk from USM junior forward James Odneal (Pontiac, Mich./Bottineau) pulled the Huskies to within 10, 42-32, with 12:35 to play, but the Anchormen responded with a 7-0 run capped by a traditional three-point play from Burton to lead 49-32 with 8:58 on the clock. USM was unable to get closer than 10 points the rest of the way as RIC rolled to the win.
Neither team shot well, but RIC was slightly better shooting 36.9 percent (24-for-65) from the field compared to the Huskies' 29.6 percent (16-for-54).
Southern Maine travels to Plymouth State on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.). Rhode Island College travels to Western Connecticut State on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.).
–cac–
