Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. -- Chris Vallee '08 (Fitchburg, Mass.) scored 12 points, including a pair of free throws with 47 seconds remaining to break a 78-all tie, as Nichols College tipped the University of New England, 81-79, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

After a 3-pointer by Chris Paquin '10 (Barre, Mass.) would give Nichols a 75-65 lead with 4:24 remaining, the Nor'easters came roaring back and eventually tied the game (78-78) on a pair of free throws by Isaac Stickney '08 (Rumford, Maine) with 1:26 on the clock. 

Each team came up empty on their next possession before Vallee was fouled and calmly sank two free throw attempts to give the Bison an 80-78 lead.

Stickney would be fouled on UNE's next trip down the floor.  He made the first of his two free throw attempts with 24 seconds left to score the 1,000th point of his career and become the 29th player in UNE men's basketball history to achieve the milestone.

After the second attempt was off the mark, a Nichols player stepped out of bounds trying to control the rebound, giving the Nor'easters one more possession.  Nichols guard Bryan Riley '10 (West Boylston, Mass.) came up with a steal to deny UNE an attempt at winning the contest after the Nor'easters had held the ball for the final shot.

Riley was subsequently fouled and made 1 of 2 at the charity stripe for the final margin of 81-79.

Ron Powers '08 (Millville, Mass.) finished with a team-high 14 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists for Nichols. Joining Powers and Vallee in double figures for the Bison were Paquin with 12 and Garrett Bishop '11 (Saratoga, N.Y.) and Chris Smith '11 (Moosup, Conn) with 11 apiece.

Chas Rentrope '11 (Peoria. Ariz.) scored a game-high 22 points to pace the Nor'easters.  He added six reboounds and four steals.   Johnnie Jefferson '09 (Dallas. Texas) pitched in with 20 points and six boards, and Stickney posted his 25th career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The Nor'easters (15-10, 9-4 TCCC) finish the regular season in a three-way tie for third place in the league standings, but will head to the road for a first-round playoff game after dropping tie-breakers to both Gordon College and Western New England College.  UNE will face WNEC on Tuesday, Feb. 26.  Tip-off time is slated for 8:00 p.m.

Nichols ends it season at 10-15 overall, 6-7 in conference play.

(posted Feb. 23, 2008 | 18:21 ET - edited Feb. 23, 2008 | 20:10 ET)