ECAC DIVISION III MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT - Wheaton captures first ECAC title and breaks program win record with 78-66 victory over Rhode Island College

March 5, 2005

NORTON, MA--- Most Outstanding Player Sean Kelly (Providence, RI/Wheeler School) recorded a career-high 24 points with a season-high tying eight rebounds, game-best five assists and three steals to lead the Wheaton College men's basketball team to its first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament championship with a 78-66 victory over Rhode Island College Saturday night in Emerson Gymnasium.

In addition to picking up the team title, the Lyons collected their highest single-season win total in the program's 16-year history. Finishing its season at 21-9 overall, Wheaton topped the program's only other 20-win team set during the 1992-93 season. The Lyons capped off their year by winning six of their last seven games. Rhode Island College posted its most victories since the 1988-89 season with an overall record of 20-9.

Other than a pair of ties early in the opening half and one Anchormen lead midway through the stanza, Wheaton held the advantage for the majority of tonight's game. Similar to their two previous ECAC Tournament games earlier this week, the Lyons jumped out in front from the outset and led 8-2 with 15:38 to play. Rhode Island College rallied with six unanswered points to knot the score at eight points apiece.

Following the game's second tie at 10-10, Wheaton senior Mark Ledwell (Charlemont, MA/Mohawk Trail Regional) helped the Lyons recapture a slim 12-10 edge. The Anchormen's Kevin Payette (Woonsocket, RI/Woonsocket) retaliated with a three-pointer to give the visitors their only lead of the contest. Leading 16-15 with 8:43 on the clock, Wheaton used a 12-3 spurt over the next three minutes to capture its biggest advantage of the half. RIC narrowed its deficit to five points on four occasions the rest of the way, but Kelly hit a driving lay up with two ticks left for a 38-31 Wheaton advantage at the half.

The Lyons had three players in double-figure scoring in the opening stanza, led by sophomore Brian Zukowski's (Dracut, MA/Dracut) 12 points. Kelly added 11 points and Ledwell, who controlled the paint offensively in the first half, accounted for 10 points. Payette paced the Anchormen with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. Both teams committed 11 turnovers in the opening half, but Wheaton made up for it with strong shooting, converting 15-of-31 (.484) overall while holding Rhode Island College to a 13-of-33 (.394) clip.

In the second half, the Lyons maintained a double-digit advantage for a good portion of the first seven minutes of play. Wheaton held a 51-41 lead with 13:23 to play, but the Anchormen used a 10-2 run to get as close as two points with 11:13 remaining. RIC stayed close the next two minutes and trailed 55-52, only to see the Lyons use a 12-2 spurt to capture a commanding 67-54 advantage with 5:36 to go. Senior tri-captain Josean Vega (Pawtucket, RI/St. Raphael's) provided the spark with eight points during that run. The Anchormen would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way, as Wheaton closed out the game with solid free throw shooting, hitting 14-of-19 (.737) in the second half alone and 19-of-25 (.760) for the game.

In addition to Kelly's career night, Zukowski totaled 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Vega and Ledwell rounded out the double-figure scoring with 14 points apiece. Senior tri-captain Mike Stanton (Lynnfield, MA/Brewster Academy) added game-high tying totals of eight boards and four steals in the win.

For Rhode Island College, sophomore Kamari Williams (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) finished the game with 19 points and six rebounds, while Payette accounted for 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting with a game-high tying four steals and four rebounds.

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