NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's basketball team fell short to host Roger Williams University, 74-71, this evening at the Campus Recreation Center in Bristol, R.I.

The Lyons fall to 2-3 on the season, while the Hawks improve to 2-1.

Roger Williams enjoyed a hot shooting night, making 57.1% (32-56) of its tries to spell the difference in the game.

The Hawks never led by more than eight points during the contest, but led for the majority of the game with the lead changing hands just three times.

Sophomore guard Ty Murphy (Dedham, Mass.) and senior forward Aaron Williams (Springfield, Mass.) each netted 18 points off the bench for Wheaton. All of Murphy's production came from beyond the three-point arc with a career-high six three-pointers to go with a rebound, two assists and a steal, while Williams added 10 rebounds for a double-double in just 22 minutes of action. Senior guard Alex Carlisle (Saint Johnsbury, Vt.) contributed with 13 points on 6-10 from the floor in addition to six rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Senior guard John Ah Kao (Dumont, N.J.) led all scorers with 20 points on 10-15 shooting for Roger Williams to go with eight boards and three assists off the bench. Sophomore forward Nate Lopes (Scituate, Mass.) netted 17 points on 7-11 from the field and added five rebounds and three assists and sophomore forward Sean Gogolin (Winchester, Mass.) chipped in with 11 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 21 minutes off the bench.

The Hawks got off to an early 9-3 lead, including five points from Lopes through the first three and a half minutes of play and later owned a 14-8 margin with 15:19 showing on the first half clock. The Lyons ripped off nine straight points, capped by a three-pointer from first year guard Tristan Herry (East Taunton, Mass.), to take a 17-14 lead. 

Roger Williams responded with 10 of the next 12 points, fueled by six points from Ah Kao, to take a 24-19 lead. The home team maintained a 28-24 lead at the 3:40 mark of the first half, before Murphy drilled a trifecta to pull Wheaton even at 34-34 with 94 seconds remaining in the session. Sophomore forward Will MacDonald (York, Maine) scored the final points of the half with a layup for the Hawks to give them a 38-35 lead heading into the intermission.

Lopes made a layup for the first points of the second half to increase the Roger Williams lead to five, but an 8-3 burst, led by a pair of threes from Murphy, knotted the game at 43-43 for the Lyons. Ah Kao made a layup at 14:35 to give RWU the lead for good. 

Williams sank a pair of free throws to keep Wheaton within one at 52-51, before the Hawks put together a 9-2 stretch, powered by seven points from Gogolin, to give them a 61-53 advantage with 7:22 to play in the game. Roger Williams later maintained a 70-65 lead, but the Lyons continued to hang around with a 6-2 burst, capped by a Carlisle layup to bring Wheaton to its hosts' doorstep at 72-71. 

Sophomore guard Nate Mullen (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) converted both of his free throws with 13 ticks left for the Hawks to give them a three-point lead and the Lyons the ball back for a final possession and a chance to tie. Wheaton attempted a three-pointer with three seconds left, but it was off the mark as Roger Williams hung on for the win.

The Lyons return to the court on Tuesday, November 29 when they travel to Newton, Mass. to take on Lasell College at 7:00 p.m., while the Hawks head to Worcester, Mass. on November 27 for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.