DUDLEY, Mass. – Four players scored in double digits, including first-year forward Pete Atkins (Gainesville, Fla.), who put up 20 points and 11 rebounds, to lead the Nichols College men's basketball team to an 81-71 win over visiting Roger Williams College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon.

Nichols (6-7, 1-0 TCCC) expanded on a three-point halftime lead, and received 19 points from junior guard Chris Paquin (Barre, Mass.) and 16 points from junior guard Bryan Riley (West Boylston, Mass.), 12 of which came at the free-throw line.

Roger Williams (4-8, 0-1 TCCC) was paced by sophomore forward Kyle Bogucki, who posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman center Pat Flanagan and sophomore forward Taylor Petruccelli chipped in with 12 points apiece.

The teams traded the lead eight times in the opening frame before Nichols grabbed it for good with 3:36 left in the first half on a Jeff Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.) jumper.

A pair of Riley free throws capped the Bison's 10-3 run that opened the second half before the Hawks chipped away the deficit, cutting Nichols' lead to four at the seven-minute mark on a Flanagan jumper. A quick Paquin three, however, put the Bison back up by seven before the teams traded baskets through the middle of the frame.

A John Costello (Tolland, Conn.) capped another Nichols run, putting the Bison up by 10, 72-62, with 2:19 left to play and the Bison made nine of 12 free throws down the stretch to keep the game in check, leading by as many as 13 in the waning seconds before Michael Woolley hit a three.

The Bison shot 50% (24-48) from the field in the game while holding the Hawks to 41.2% (28-68) overall. Nichols maintained a slim advantage off the glass at 36-33, but Roger Williams converted 11 second chance points to the Bison's six.

Both teams are back in action Tuesday night, with Nichols traveling to Endicott for an 8 p.m. game and Roger Williams hosting WNEC also at 8 p.m.

Box Score