Box Score
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team that is Eastern Connecticut State University men's basketball – which followed up a near upset at Little East Conference leader Keene State College a week ago with a unremarkable 13-point home loss to a four-win team three days later – rebounded with one of its finest performances of the season Wednesday night in a 79-52 must-win conference victory over Rhode Island College that kept its conference tournament hopes alive.
 
Eastern's (14-10, 5-10 LEC) victory over Rhode Island (14-10, 9-6 LEC) gives the Warriors a season split with the Anchormen following a 14-point loss a month ago at the Murray Center, but more importantly, keeps their hopes alive for a return to the LEC tournament after a year's absence.
 
Needing one win in its final two games to gain the sixth and final LEC tournament spot over Eastern, UMass Dartmouth could not completely recover after giving up the first 12 points of the game and falling at conference leader Keene State College, 100-90, Wednesday night.
 
On the final day of the regular season this Saturday, Eastern visits Plymouth State University (11-13, 4-11 LEC) and UMass Dartmouth hosts Western Connecticut State University (16-8, 12-3). An Eastern win coupled with a UMD loss would leave the two teams sharing sixth place and would propel the Warriors into the tournament based upon their two, two-point wins over the Corsairs this year.
 
In the first meetings this year on January 18, Eastern subdued Plymouth, 62-54  at Geissler Gymnasium while UMass Dartmouth was dropping an 86-74 road decision at Feldman Arena. If it finishes sixth, Eastern would, unofficially, visit Rhode Island College in the first round of the LEC tournament on Tuesday evening.
 
Wednesday's outcome marked the fifth time this year that the Warriors have limited their opponent to 54 or less points. Both teams had entered play on the skids, each having lost four of their previous five.
 
Eastern's first bucket of the game – a three-point by junior guard Dominick Dao (Terrvyille) – gave it the lead for good – and an 11-2 run later broke the only tie of the game and boosted the Warriors into a nine-point, 24-15 lead and an eventual 13-point halftime lead.
 
Against a Rhode Island team averaging 78 points per game, the Warriors' defense limited the Anchormen to just 20 first-half points. While Eastern was shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor (and 5-of-5 from the stripe) and turning the ball over only six times, the visitors missed two-thirds of their first-half shots (and all six from distance) and helped the Warriors score 13 points off their 12 first-half turnovers.
 
After a stellar first half, Eastern turned it up in the second half, maintaining its double-digit lead throughout, all but deciding the outcome by amassing a 20-point lead into the final 15 minutes.
 
In the second half, junior forward Jalen Hamblin (West Hartford) had 13 points and seven rebounds on the way to final totals of 20 points and nine rebounds. He also had three of the team's eight blocked shots in the game.  Hamblin was 6-of-10 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the foul line.
 
Sophomore guard Cedrick Similien (Norwich) shared team-high scoring honors with Hamblin. Similien was 8-of-11 from the floor while Dao followed with 13 points and sophomore forward Julian Sanchez (Willimantic) added 12 points and five rebounds. Similien and Dao were both 3-of-5 from distance Sophomore point guard Esco Greene (New Britain) chipped in seven rebounds and three assists.
 
The Warriors shot 54.7 percent from the floor – including 8-of-18 from distance – and sank 13 of 15 free throws. The Anchormen were 36.2 percent from the floor – including 3-of-16 from distance – and missed six of 13 three throw attempts.
 
Making his fifth start of the year in place of top scorer (18.6 ppg.) and national rebounding leader (15.5) Ousmane Kourouma – a 6-foot-7 inch senior – 6-foot-5 inc Xavier Mendez led Rhode Island with game-highs of 22 points (9-of-12 FG) and ten rebounds.
 
While Ousmane missed his second straight game due to injury that aided the Warriors in gaining the season split, Eastern, it should be noted, has been without top players Hamblin, junior point guard Michael Carothers (Queens, NY) and sophomore forward Jeremiah Graham (Jacksonville, FL) due to injury for a total of 25 games this season.