NEWPORT, R.I. - Windell Hinkson (Groton, Conn.) led all players with 23 points and had his second straight game with six 3-pointers to lead Salve Regina University men's basketball to an 82-68 win over visiting Curry College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action.
The Colonels (4-18; 2-8 TCCC), who lost their ninth straight game, got off to a 9-2 start at the Rodgers Recreation Center behind a pair of layups from senior forward Chris Bonadies (Medfield, Mass.).
Hinkson sandwiched two 3-pointers during a 10-0 Seahawk run in a 1:07 span to put Salve Regina up three (12-9). Another Bonadies layup capped a 15-5 run for Curry which built its lead to seven again (24-17) with 8:37 left in the first half.
Freshman guard Alex La Rosa (Salem, N.H.) converted an offensive rebound into a layup at the 3:11 mark to bring Salve Regina within one (30-29); he was subsequently fouled before Curry inbounded the ball and the Seahawks were in the double bonus. La Rosa sank both free throws to give Salve Regina a lead it would never relinquish.
After a Michael Worrick (N. Grafton, Mass.) layup brought the Colonels within four (62-58) with 9:06 left in the second half, Salve Regina (12-9; 6-4 TCCC) went on a 10-0 in a two-minute span with 3-pointers from Isiah Pringle (Queens, N.Y.), Patrick Dinneen (Medfield, Mass.), and Hinkson. Hinkson's 3-pointer at the 4:11 mark gave Salve Regina its largest lead (75-60) before the Seahawks maintained possession for over a minute with several offensive rebounds.
Freshman Jeff Bielefeld (Littleton, Mass.) led the Seahawks with nine rebounds. Senior point guard Ryan Birrell (Hope, R.I.) nearly had a double-double with 18 points and nine assists. He punctuated his season-high assist total by feeding Hinkson in the corner for the fellow senior's final 3-pointer.
Salve Regina climbed into a five-way tie for fourth place in the league and hosts one of those teams (Endicott College) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Bonadies had team highs in points (18) and rebounds (nine) while sophomore guard Sedale Jones (Pittsfield, Mass.) added 14 points. Curry has its final home game of the regular season on Saturday when it hosts Wentworth. The Leopards are currently tied for second with a 7-3 conference record. (Game recap courtesy of Salve Regina Sports Information)