Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England men's basketball team hit 12 three-pointers in the first half to open up a 51-33 lead, as they cruised to an 81-63 The Commonwealth Coast Conference victory over Nichols College in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday at the Campus Center.

UNE, which had already clinched the regular-season title and top seed for the upcoming TCCC Tournament, won for the 20th time in its last 21 starts to finish the regular season at 21-4, 12-1 in conference play.  The Bison head to the playoffs with an overall ledger of 13-12, 8-5 in TCCC games.

After scoring just five points in the opening five minutes, the Nor'easters got their offense cranked up behind a three-point barrage.  Leading 14-9 at the 12:43 mark, UNE made five treys on its next nine possessions to open up a 29-15 advantage.  Senior Johnnie Jefferson (Dallas, Texas) and junior Marchale Robinson (Baton Rouge, La.) each made a pair of shots from beyond the arc during the run.

The Nor'easters took a 51-33 cushion into the locker room, thanks in part to their 12 three-pointers and 15 Nichols' turnovers.

UNE continued to pull away in the early stages of the second half, utilizing a 22-5 run over the initial 8:36 to assume a commanding 73-38 lead.  Nichols chipped away late for the final margin of 81-63.

Jefferson finished with 14 points to lead the way for UNE, while Robinson canned four shots from beyond the arc to toss in 12 points.  Senior guards Steve Belmonte (Levittown, N.Y.) and Jaykyri Simpson (East Cleburne, Texas) scored 11 apiece.  Simpson added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.  

Reserve guard Jeff Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.) tallied a game-high 22 points for Nichols.  He was 8-for-13 from the floor and 4 of 8 from three-point land.  Senior John Costello (Tolland, Conn.) added 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The top-seeded Nor'easters will host No. 8 Western New England College in a quarterfinal-round game Tuesday (Feb. 24) evening at 8:00 p.m.  That game can be seen live on the Web at http://athletics.une.edu/stream.asx 

The Bison - the tourney's number five seed - will head to No. 4 Salve Regina University for a 7:00 p.m. opening-round game Tuesday.