BRISTOL, R.I. (1/10/2026) – The Nichols College men's basketball team left the Campus Recreation Center with a huge win against conference opponent Roger Willams this Saturday afternoon, 80-75.

With the win, the Bison move on to 9-6 (4-2 CNE) while the Fords drop to 5-4 (0-0 Centennial conference).

The Bison trio of Javen Flowers-Smith, Olivier St. Louis, and Dominic Mello powered Nichols offensively, combining for more than half of the team's total points on the night. Flowers-Smith delivered his second 28-point performance of the season, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. He also filled the stat sheet with six assists, seven rebounds, two steals, and a block. Mello added a strong 16-point effort, along with six rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block, providing steady production on both ends of the floor. St. Louis turned in a historic performance, finishing with 20 points on an efficient 7-for-10 shooting, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. He dominated the glass with a career-high 19 rebounds, while also contributing two steals, a block, and two assists.With the performance, St. Louis became just the second player in Nichols history to record a 19-rebound game. The program last saw a 19-rebound outing in 2022, when Matthew Alectus, a 6-foot-5 forward from Hollywood, Florida, pulled down 19 boards in a 100–63 victory over Curry College on December 6.

The Bison opened the game brimming with confidence and energy, jumping out to an early 10–2 lead with all ten points coming from the team's top three scorers. The Hawks responded by chipping away at the deficit, eventually knotting the game at 15 apiece before taking their first lead of the night, 22–20, in the eighth minute of the first half.From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth battle as both teams traded leads over several possessions. The Bison briefly reclaimed the advantage on a transition three from senior Kuany Teng, energizing the bench, and took it again moments later on a strong finish at the rim from Olivier St. Louis. Despite Nichols' efforts to maintain momentum, the Hawks began to find their rhythm offensively in the closing minutes.However, Roger Williams seized control in the final two minutes of the half, closing on a strong run to take a 43–33 lead into the locker room.

The Bison came out of the locker room ready to make a statement, striking first with a layup from Javen Flowers-Smith. A quick three-pointer and an aggressive drive from junior Ethan Minarik brought the game to within three. It wasn't until roughly 15 minutes remained in the second half that Nichols finally claimed the lead. A go-ahead three from Olivier St. Louis, set up by Dominic Mello, put the Bison up by one.From that point on, the game became a back-and-forth battle, with the lead trading hands multiple times and the Bison stretching the margin to three at several points. With just three minutes left, Flowers-Smith sliced through the defense for a smooth layup, putting the pressure squarely on Roger Williams to respond. Nichols' defense stood tall down the stretch, forcing multiple missed opportunities and having the Hawks pay for it at the charity stripe. Mello proved clutch in the final moments, calmly sinking the last four free throws of the game. His final two points ultimately put the contest out of reach, sealing an 80–75 victory for the Bison and capping a thrilling second-half comeback.

The Bison will be home for their next matchup, facing the Golden Bears of Western New England University on Wednesday, January 14, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.