WestConn falls to Rhode Island College in LEC title game, 81-80
PROVIDENCE, RI (Feb. 27) — Sophomore center Leroy Mayers (Bronx, NY) recorded a double-double with game-highs in both points (28) and rebounds (13), but the Western Connecticut State University men's basketball team suffered a heart-breaking loss to Rhode Island College in the championship game of this year's Little East Conference tournament Saturday evening.
With 14 seconds remaining in the game, sophomore Gary Robinson (Torrington, CT) stepped to the free-throw line with the Colonials trailing by two points. After making his first free throw, Robinson missed the second, but WestConn's Will Jarrett (Hartford, CT) grabbed the rebound, giving the Colonials a chance for the win. Sophomore guard DaQuan Brooks (Bristol, CT) found Robinson under the basket with three seconds remaining, but Robinson's off-balance shot rolled off the rim, giving Rhode Island College an 81-80 victory and a trip to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball tournament.
From the desk of Scott Gibbons - Rhode Island College SID
Providence, RI - Junior guard Antone Gray (Providence, RI) hit the go-ahead
three-pointer with 1:06 left to lead top-seeded Rhode Island College past
second-seeded Western Connecticut, 81-80, in the Championship Game of the
2010 Little East Conference Men¹s Basketball Tournament. RIC advances to
make its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Div. III Tournament.
Head Coach Bob Walsh¹s team has played in the LEC Tournament championship
game in each of the past four seasons and this year¹s win marks the third
time RIC has come away with the title. The Anchormen raise their record to
20-7, reaching the 20-win plateau for the fourth straight season.
The win is the seventh consecutive victory for the squad this year and it
also marks the 11th straight win for the Anchormen vs. the Colonials (19-7).
WestConn was playing in its first Little East championship game since
winning the tournament in 2005.
On this year¹s edition, there are no holdovers from RIC¹s 2007 title
winner and just two who played on the 2008 championship squad. The three
wins in four years also marks the best performance in tourney play by an LEC
school since Western Connecticut also won three in a four-year time span
from 2002-05.
Gray, who hit the game-winning shot in the semifinal, 74-72, win over
fourth-seeded UMass Dartmouth last night, also impacted the final play of
the game. After he knocked down the trifecta. Western Connecticut got the
ball to sophomore forward Gary Robinson (Torrington, CT) in the paint. He
was immediately fouled and sent to the free throw line for two attempts with
14 seconds left.
After he made the first one, Rhode Island College called a timeout.
Robinson missed the shot and the rebound pinballed out to WestConn senior
guard Tyshawn Gillespie (Hartford, CT) beyond the three-point line. He gave
the ball up to sophomore backcourt mate DaQuan Brooks (Bristol, CT) who
stepped up for a three, but at the last second, saw Robinson open on the
baseline cutting to the basket. Gray cut in front of Robinson, who was
forced to alter his body, and he missed the shot. RIC senior guard Jake
Grimes (Providence, RI) ended up with the ball and was tied up for a jump
ball call. The possession arrow favored the Anchormen who were able to
inbound the ball with 0.9 seconds left and avoid being fouled.
Gray was named the Tournament¹s Most Outstanding Player. In the two wins,
he averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steals in the game. He finished
the title win with 12 points and six helpers. Sophomore forward Mason Choice
(Newport, RI) and Grimes each led the hosts with 16 points. Junior forward
Carl Lee (Warwick, RI) contributed 11 points and equaled Choice¹s efforts on
the glass with a team-high six rebounds. Junior captain Darius Debnam
(Dorchester, RI) rounded out the RIC contingent in double figures with 12
points.
WestConn sophomore center Leroy Mayers (Bronx, NY) was absolutely dominant
in the post for the visitors, shooting 14-for-19 from the field in a
game-high 28-point, 13-rebound effort. Brooks had 16 points and three
assists.
The game went back and forth for the entire contest, with neither team
able to gain much of an advantage. There were seven ties in the first half
alone and RIC was able to build a game-high, eight point lead, 44-36, with
42 seconds left on a junior guard Nick Manson (Newport, RI) three-pointer.
Two free throws by WestConn junior center John Phillips (Hartford, CT)
pulled the visitors within six, 44-38, at the break.
The first stanza was pretty much even as RIC shot 53 percent (16-for-30)
and WestConn came in at 42 percent (15-for-36). The Colonials struggled from
downtown, making just four of their 16 attempts, while RIC shot 80 percent
(8-for-10) from the free throw line.
The Colonials opened the second half on a 22-8 run to build an
eight-point, 60-52, lead with 13:01 remaining. RIC countered with a 16-8
run, capped by a Debnam layup to tie the game, 68-68, at 8:10.
The lead went back and forth over the final minutes, with neither team
able to get much breathing room. Mayers gave WestConn its final lead of the
game, 79-78, with 1:41 left on a layup. Gray¹s heroics came with just four
seconds left on the shot clock. Guarded by Brooks a good four feet beyond
the three-point line, Gray drained the long-range bomb for what proved to be
the game-winning shot.
For the game, WestConn outrebounded the Anchormen by nine, 40-31, led
primarily by Mayer¹s efforts. The Colonials shot 48 percent (33-for-69) from
the field, 26 percent from downtown (6-for-23) and 62 percent (8-for-13)
from the free throw line.
The Anchormen shot 52 percent (31-for-60) from the field, 39 percent (7-for-18) from downtown and 75 percent (12-for-16) from the line.
Newspaper Box Score
Western Connecticut State vs Rhode Island College
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE 81, WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE 80
WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE (19-7)
Leroy Mayers 14-19 0-2 28; DaQuan Brooks 6-21 1-2 16; Wilburt Jarrett 4-5
0-0 9; Mark Redding 3-3 1-1 7; John Phillips 2-3 3-4 7; Tyshawn Gillespie
2-6 0-0 6; Gary Robinson 0-2 3-4 3; Cody Bayne 1-5 0-0 2; David Addy 1-3 0-0
2; Ryan Pelletier 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 33-69 8-13 80.
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE (20-7)
Jake Grimes 7-13 1-1 16; Mason Choice 5-11 6-7 16; Darius Debnam 5-7 0-0 12;
Antone Gray 4-9 2-3 12; Carl Lee 5-9 1-2 11; Nick Manson 2-4 1-2 7; Mike
Akinrola 1-1 1-1 3; Steven Roberts 1-1 0-0 2; Tahrike Carter 1-2 0-0 2;
Keith Hamilton 0-1 0-0 0; William Williams 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-60 12-16 81.
Western Connecticut State..... 38 42 - 80
Rhode Island College.......... 44 37 - 81
3-point goals--Western Connecticut State 6-23 (DaQuan Brooks 3-12; Tyshawn
Gillespie 2-3; Wilburt Jarrett 1-2; Gary Robinson 0-1; Cody Bayne 0-3; Ryan
Pelletier 0-2), Rhode Island College 7-18 (Darius Debnam 2-3; Antone Gray
2-3; Nick Manson 2-4; Jake Grimes 1-3; Keith Hamilton 0-1; William Williams
0-1; Carl Lee 0-1; Mason Choice 0-2). Fouled out--Western Connecticut
State-None, Rhode Island College-None. Rebounds--Western Connecticut State
40 (Leroy Mayers 13), Rhode Island College 31 (Mason Choice 6; Carl Lee 6).
Assists--Western Connecticut State 14 (David Addy 3; Wilburt Jarrett 3;
Tyshawn Gillespie 3; DaQuan Brooks 3), Rhode Island College 12 (Antone Gray
6). Total fouls--Western Connecticut State 15, Rhode Island College 14.
Technical fouls--Western Connecticut State-None, Rhode Island College-None.
A-522
Little East Conference Tournament Championship
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