PROVIDENCE, R.I.   –  Shion Darby scored a game-high 35 points to lead four players in double figures as the Rhode Island College Anchormen defeated the University of Southern Maine Huskies 94-80 in a Little East Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at RIC. ]

         With the win, Rhode Island College improves to 14-7 overall and 7-5 in the Little East.  The Huskies drop to 9-11 overall and 4-8 in conference action with the loss. 

         Darby was 14-for-24 from the field for the game-high 35, adding six assists and two rebounds. Keyshaun Jacobs added 19 points and five rebounds, while Benjamin Vezele had a double-double with 18 points and a team-high 14 rebounds.  Tim Deng added 13 points and eight boards. 

         Southern Maine junior Derek Haney (Auburn, Calif./Placer) led four Husky players in double-figures with 19 points on 8-for-17 shooting.  Junior Kylani Lafleur (Portsmouth, N.H.) had a double-double off of the bench with 15 poinits and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Jacobe Thomas (Houston, Texas/Davis) also had a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.  Senior Jaire Roberts added 10 points and eight rebounds.  

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

•  RIC's Darby was 9-for-15 from the field in the first half to help the Anchormen to a 47-39 lead at the break, scoring 21 of his 35 points in the opening stanza.  USM's Haney scored 15 of his 19 in the opening 20 minutes shooting a lights-out 7-for-12 from the field. 
• A three-pointer from USM junior DJ Anderson (Houston, Texas/Davis) made it a four-point game, 43-39, in favor of RIC with 2:23 left in the half, but it was the last field goal of the frame for the Huskies as RIC closed the half on a 4-0 run with both buckets supplied by Darby. 
• RIC opened the second outpacing the Huskies 5-2 to snag and 11-point, 52-41, lead early but USM rumbled back with a 7-0 run to make it a four-point contest, 52-48, with 17:10 to play on the strength of back-to-back threes from Lafleur.  
• RIC stayed ahead of the Huskies comfortably for most of the half, but USM was within striking distance.  A traditional three-point play from USM freshman Cameron Wood made it a nine-point game, 65-56, with 12:01 on the clock, but the Anchormen seized control with a 14-4 run over the next five minutes to assume a 79-60 lead with 7:02 on the clock. From there USM did not get closer than 12 points the rest of the way. 

UP NEXT: 

         Southern Maine remains in Little East Conference action and travels to Eastern Connecticut on Saturday (3:00 pm). 

–cac–