KEENE, N.H. 2/5/11 –  Rhode Island College had four players in double-figures to post a come-from-behind 78-69 victory over Keene State College in Little East Conference men's basketball action at Spaulding Gym on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Mike Akinrola (Woonsocket, R.I.) scored 14 points, junior Mason Choice (Newport, R.I.) added 13 points and seniors Antone Gray (Providence, R.I) and Nick Mason (Newport, R.I.) each finished with 11 points for RIC.  With the scored tied 38-all at the half, the Anchormen outscored the Owls 43-34 in the second half. 

Sophomores Ryan Martin (Wayne, Maine) and Eric Fazio (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) finished with 18 and 14 points respectively for Keene State. Sophomore Nicco DeMasco (Richmond, N.H.) had a game-high seven rebounds.

 "I think we showed why in the league these teams are one and two in field goal percentage defense," said KSC Coach Rob Colbert.  "I was little concerned about their up-tempo game and that was a factor down the stretch. They also didn't allow us to get a lot of good looks inside." 

In an up-and-down first half, junior Steve Boudreau (North Andover, Mass.) gave the Owls a 23-17 lead with a backdoor lay-up at the 7:22 mark.  Coming off the bench, freshman forward Montel Walcott (New Haven, Conn.) gave KSC its biggest lead of the half (35-25), hitting a lay-up with 4:20 to go.

RIC scored the last 10 points of the half to knot the score at 35-all at the break.  Choice scored four of the Anchormen's points, all from the line, during the run. KSC missed all nine of its three-point attempts in the first half.     

The Anchormen pulled away from the Owls midway in the second half.  Four straight points by Akinrola made it a nine point margin (61-52) with 9:49 to go.  

A jump hook by sophomore Rashad Wright (Agawam, Mass.) cut RIC's lead to five points (63-58) with 7:14 to play.  RIC came right back, taking a 10 point lead on a top-of-the-key three-pointer by Manson with 4:45 to play.   

KSC made one last run at the Anchormen. Following a steal, junior Ollie Hunter (Bedford, N.H.) hit a driving lay-up to make it 70-64.  However, Mason knocked down a pair of free throw to put RIC up 72-64 with 1:34 to play.  An off-balanced three-pointer by junior Derek D'Amours (Agawam, Mass.) made it 72-67, but the Owls couldn't close the gap.  Gray hit four free throws, his last pair with 20 seconds to go, to put RIC up 76-69.

KSC hit just two of its 16 three-point shots in the game

Both team hit the road for LEC games on Tuesday.  The Owls are at Eastern Conn. and RIC goes to Western Conn.