Providence, R.I.—Sophomore guard Shion Darby (Peekskill, N.Y.) led the way for the Anchormen with 22 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists, while freshman forward Ousmane Kourouma (Woonsocket, R.I.) hauled down a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with eight points, as the Rhode Island College men's basketball team fell vs. UMass-Dartmouth, 77-70, in Little East action played at The Murray Center on Wednesday evening.
 
THE BASICS
UMass Dartmouth 77, Rhode Island College 70
UMass Dartmouth (4-0, 4-0 LEC)
Rhode Island College (1-3, 1-3 LEC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both teams struggled to get the lid off the basket in the opening minutes of the game as the Corsairs held a slight one point lead, 6-5, at the first media timeout.
 
• The Anchormen took their first lead of the day, 7-6, coming out of the stoppage on a freshman guard Jordan Riley (Windsor, Conn.) jumper, but the visitors regained the lead, 8-7, on the ensuing possession with a pair of free throws from senior guard Jake Ashworth (Fairhaven, Mass.).
 
• A Darby layup with 9:14 left in the first half knotted the score at 16 and the hosts regained the advantage, 18-17, on a freshman guard Jared White (North Plainfield, N.J.) layup with just under 9:00 to go in the opening stanza.
 
• The Anchormen controlled the remainder of the first half and went into the intermission with a one-point, 35-34, lead.
 
• UMD came out of the half on fire as they built a quick nine point, 52-43, lead by way of a layup and three ball from junior guard Marcus Azor (Brockton, Mass.).
 
• Azor dominated the second half for the Corsairs, as he scored 19 of his 28 in the final frame.
 
• The Anchormen were able to cut the Corsair lead down to as little as three points, 53-50, on yet another Darby layup.
 
• The Corsairs extended their lead to 11, 77-66, with 1:36 remaining in the contest.
 
• A freshman guard Dante Law (Taunton, Mass.) layup with 50 seconds to go trimmed the visitor lead down to seven, 77-70, but that was the final basket of the game as UMD completed the season series sweep.
 
•White ended the night with 10 points, three blocks and two steals. Riley chipped in with 13 points and four steals. Law contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and handed out four assists.
 
• Azor led the game with 28 points and grabbed nine boards. Ashworth finished with 14 points and eight boards.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
• RIC shot 34 percent (27-for-79) from the field, 25 percent (5-for-20) from three-point range and 50 percent (11-for-22) from the free throw line.
 
• UMD shot 40 percent (30-for-75) from the floor, 17 percent (2-for-12) from long range and 71 percent (15-for-21) from the charity stripe.
 
• The Corsairs dominated the glass, 60-45. RIC turned the ball over nine times, compared to UMass Dartmouth's 16 miscues.  
 
WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will continue Little East play at home vs. Plymouth State on Saturday, Feb. 13 (3 p.m.).