Lancers Knock RIC from Ranks of Unbeaten

WORCESTER, Mass. – Worcester State shot 8-13 from three-point land and 64% from the field in the second half as they pulled away for an 83-61 victory over Rhode Island College in a non-conference men's basketball game on Sunday afternoon at Brissette '88 Court.

With the win, the Lancers handed Rhode Island College (5-1) their first defeat of the season, while evening up their record at 4-4.

All five starters for Worcester State scored in double-figures, including a double-double from Erik Bjorn (Holden, Mass.), who scored 11 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Chris Cardoso (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) led all players with 9 assists and three steals to go with 15 points.

Sam Dion (Barre, Mass.) added 12 points, going 4-4 from three-point land, and Ryan Rubenskas (Bridgewater, Mass.) had 16 points on 8-12 shooting, with four rebounds three assists and two blocks. Marcus McCarthy (E. Providence, R.I.) knocked down four of six from downtown and filled the stat sheet with 14 points, three steals, five assists, five rebounds and a block.

Keyshaun Jacobs (Lynn, Mass.) led the Anchormen with 20 points, but made just five of his 20 field goal attempts and was 3-12 from three. Those were the only three triples the visitors made, with the rest of the team combining to go 0-10 from downtown.

Meanwhile, Worcester State was 11-22 from three-point range and shot 54% from the field, compared to just 30% for RIC.

Worcester State took a four-point lead to the halftime break, and extended it to nine points on a three-pointer by Dion with five minutes gone in the second half.

Cardoso hit a triple to put the Lancers up by ten points for the first time in the game, but RIC answered with six straight points, four of them by Darby Shion (Peekskill, N.Y.), who finished the game with 17 points and five assists.

Corey Olivier (Maynard, Mass.) knocked down a three-pointer for Worcester, but the Anchormen continued to stay within reach, cutting the deficit to two with a three from Jacobs.

Ahead 59-57, Worcester State ended the game on a 24-4 run over the final 8:35. McCarthy made back to back three-pointers, both assisted by Rubenskas, giving the hosts a 79-60 lead with 2:26 remaining. Cardoso had 13 of his points in the second half, and Dion hit three of his triples in the final twenty minutes. All five starters for Worcester had 2+ assists in the second half as the ball moved effectively and efficiently to find the open man.

Otis Wheeler (Worcester, Mass.) had eight points, five rebounds, a steal and two blocks off the Lancer bench.

RIC got 10 points from Jordan Riley (Windsor, Conn.) and 8 points off the bench from Jared White (North Plainfield, N.J.), who had four rebounds an assist, a block and three steals off the pine.

A busy week for the Lancers continues on Tuesday night when they travel to Wesleyan for a 7:00 PM game.

Rhode Island College looks to start a new streak when they play at Rivier at the same time.