Providence, R.I.--Junior guard Shion Darby (Peekskill, N.Y.) poured in a game-high 34 points as the Rhode Island College men's basketball team opened the 2021-22 season with an 81-68 victory over MIT on Saturday afternoon at The Murray Center.
 
THE BASICS
Rhode Island College 81, MIT 68
Rhode Island College (1-0)
MIT (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The hosts jumped out to a 12-5 lead on a dunk by sophomore center Ousmane Kourouma (Woonsocket, R.I.) with 13:42 left in the first half.
 
• MIT freshman guard Kade Killian (Austin, Texas) would later hit a three-point shot at 11:11 to put the Engineers up by a point, 15-14. It would prove to be the last lead the visitors would hold in the contest.
 
• The last bucket of the frame would be by MIT senior guard Dan Pilsbury (Millington, N.J.), which cut the Anchormen's lead down to 13, 38-25, with about two minutes remaining in the half. Both teams locked up on the defensive end for the rest of the period and the hosts took that advantage into halftime.
 
• RIC shot 42 percent  from the field (14-for-33) and 15 percent from three-point territory (2-for-13) over the first 20 minutes. MIT shot 31 percent (11-for-36) and 23 percent (3-for-13) from downtown over that same time span.
 
• The Anchormen held a double-digit cushion against the Engineers throughout the second half. RIC posted a game-high 22-point advantage with 6:18 left after a thunderous dunk by sophomore guard Jordan Riley (Windsor, Conn.).
 
• Darby finished with 34 points (12-for-25), three assists and two rebounds.
 
• Kourouma pulled down a game-high 17 boards and put up an impressive defensive effort with four blocks. He also chipped in with 16 points.
 
• Senior guard Keyshaun Jacobs (Lynn, Mass.) finished with 14 points, three assists and two rebounds.
 
• MIT senior guard Ian Hinkley (Raleigh, N.C.) was the most impressive player for the Engineers, putting up 19 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
• RIC shot 42 percent (28-for-68) from the field, 21 percent (7-for-33) from downtown and converted 78 percent of their free throw attempts (18-for-23).
 
• MIT shot 33 percent (24-for-72) from the field, 22 percent (6-for-17) from long range and 73 percent (14-for-19) from the charity stripe.
 
• The Anchormen outrebounded MIT, 49-46, and dished out more assists than their opponents, 16-14.
 
 WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Eastern Nazarene on Tuesday, Nov. 9 (7 p.m.).