Balanced attack leads Nichols Past Endicott
Jan. 15, 2008
DUDLEY, Mass. - Five players scored in double figures as Nichols (4-9, 1-1) posted a 90-72 win over Endicott (4-8, 1-1) in TCCC men's basketball action on Tuesday. The Bison outscored the Gulls 46-32 in the second half behind 50 percent shooting to earn their first conference victory of the year.
Sophomore Chris Paquin (Barr, Mass.) scored a season-high 19 points while senior captains Chris Vallee (Fitchburg, Mass.) and Ron Powers (Millville, Mass.) each added 16 in the win. Sophomore Ryan Wilcox (West Granby, Conn.) posted 13 points and nine rebounds as well. Endicott's Joey Burgos (Lawrence, Mass.) scored game-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
The Bison took a 13 point lead, 37-24, with 7:33 left in the first half with a 16-2 run. Endicott ended the half scoring six unanswered points to make it a four-point game, 44-40, heading into the locker room.
Nichols opened up the second half with a 16-4 run to take its biggest lead of the game up to that point, 60-46, with 13:13 remaining. Another 10-1 spurt increased the lead to 17 with 10:14 left as the Gulls were never able to get the Nichols lead below double digits the rest of the way.
Freshman Garret Bishop (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) chipped in with nine points for Nichols, which out-shot Endicott 24-13 at the free throw line. Sophomore Graham Whitelaw (Kennebunk, Maine) scored 11 points and senior Todd Burton (Lynn, Mass.) added nine for Endicott.
The Gulls look to rebound on Thursday evening as they return home to the friendly confines of the MacDonald Gymnasium to host Emerson College at 7:00 pm.