Battaglia pours in a game-high 21 points

POSTGAME COMMENTS | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

NORTON, Mass. – Wheaton College first-year guard Ryan Fogarty (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) went 6-for-6 at the free throw line over the final 31-seconds of the contest to aid the Lyons to an 81-76 non-league victory over Roger Williams University on Saturday afternoon inside Emerson Gymnasium.

Fogarty finished the contest with nine points, three assists and two rebounds, while junior guard Billy Battaglia (Simsbury, Conn./Taft School) produced a game-high 21 points and hauled in seven rebounds. Senior guard Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) registered 17 points, four rebounds and two assists and sophomore center Timothy Berry (Sterling, Mass./St. Peter Marian) turned in a career-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and also brought down six rebounds.

Senior Mike Cannon (New York, N.Y./Hyde School) collected four points, a team-high nine boards and one block, while classmate Eddie Capstick (Worcester, Mass./Marianapolis Prep) had five points, four assists and eight rebounds.

Roger Williams University senior guard Ryan Palumbo (Warwick, R.I./Williston Northampton) tied Battaglia for the game-high in points with 21 on the afternoon alongside seven assists, six steals and four rebounds. Sophomore forward Josh Syska (Peabody, Mass./St. John's Prep) had 15 points, five rebounds and two assists and senior forward Joseph Henry (Medway, Mass./Medway) collected 13 points, three rebounds and one helper. Junior forward Leonardo Atkinson (Nantucket, Mass./Nantucket) chipped in with six points and ten rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass.

After a pair of free throws by Henry brought the Hawks within two points (69-67) with 2:20 remaining to play, Battaglia keyed a late run for the Lyons over the next 1:35 of action to give the hosts some cushion room on the scoreboard. Battaglia jump-started the run with a three-pointer at the 2:06 mark of the contest and followed with a runner from the left wing as time was expiring on the shot clock to give Wheaton a 74-67 advantage at the 1:16 mark of the game.

Syska and Battaglia then went 1-for-2 at the free throw line, respectively, to bring the score to 75-68 before Palumbo swished a jumper with 35-seconds to go to bring the game within two possessions at 75-70. On the ensuing inbounds play for the Lyons, Fogarty was fouled quickly and the first-year guard came through with a pair of free throws down the other end of the court to bump Wheaton's lead to 77-70.

Henry answered on the next possession for Roger Williams with a triple with 24-seconds remaining to cut into the gap at 77-73. Fogarty was perfect at the free throw line again for Wheaton on its next possession (79-73), before Syska converted a three-pointer with 11-seconds to play to make it a 79-76 ball game.

For the third consecutive time, the Hawks fouled Fogarty, but the first-year guard kept his composure once again and swished both free throws to seal the victory for the Lyons.

Roger Williams led 37-36 at halftime thanks to a balanced offense that featured five student-athletes who had five or more points in the stanza. Syska and Henry guided the squad with seven points apiece, while first-year forward Jaylen Jennings (Norwalk, Conn./Notre Dame – Fairfield), Atkinson and Palumbo all had six points each.

Wheaton outrebounded Roger Williams, 48-32, shot 43.6-percent (24-for-55) from the floor and 77.1-percent (27-for-35) at the free throw line. The Lyons also held a 32-24 differential in points in the paint. The Hawks notched a 23-5 margin in points off turnovers, while their bench outscored the hosts 35-20.

Wheaton (2-2) travels to Emmanuel College on Tuesday, November 25 for a non-conference contest at 6 p.m. Roger Williams (1-3) hosts Johnson & Wales next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

For the latest on Wheaton College Athletics, follow the Lyons via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.