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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Tyler Dion drilled seven three-pointers, and Nichols College connected on a blistering 18 as a group, during an 87-68 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball victory over the University of New England on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 7) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Bison improve to 11-2 on the year, and take sole possession of the top spot in the league standings at 6-0. The Nor'easters slip to 4-9 overall, 2-4 in CCC outings.

Dion finished with a game-high 23 points, highlighted by the 7-of-13 performance from long range. DeAnte Bruton hit four from downtown on the way to 18 points, and added six assists and five steals. Jerome Cunningham posted a double-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, while Marcos Echevarria contributed 11 points and seven assists.

Nichols went 18-of-45 (40%) from behind the arc, out-scoring the hosts by 11 from deep. UNE made 7-of-14 looks from three-point land.

The Nor'easters received 21 points and six rebounds out of Jean-Luc Parker. CJ Autry sank 5-of-6 field-goal tries and registered a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards. Gavin Dibble tossed in 11 points.

UNE scored seven unanswered points in the early-going to take its only lead of the contest (7-6), before the Bison rattled off next 10. Another run of seven in-a-row by the hosts later in the 1st half pulled the gap back into single digits (34-25), but Daequon Antoine tallied a quick five points to restore a double digit cushion. NC extended the difference to 48-31 at halftime.

The Nor'easters drew as close as 12 on four occasions during the 2nd period (54-42, 58-46, 60-48, 70-58), but could not chip any further into the deficit. Bruton and Dion (twice) then canned consecutive triples to bump the lead to its peak of 21 (79-58).

Nichols returns home to meet Eastern Nazarene College on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.). UNE is slated the welcome in Gordon College at the same time.