Framingham, MA - Junior point guard Darius Yarrell (Brockton,
MA) drilled a three as time expired to lift the Framingham State
Rams to a 65-62 non-conference win over the Williams College Ephs
tonight at Framingham's Athletic Center. With the win, the
Rams even their record at 4-4, while the Ephs are now 5-2.
The Rams defense held the Ephs to just 32.3% shooting from the
floor for the game and only 23% from three-point range. The
Rams shot 45.6% from the floor for the game and were 7 for 17 from
three point range (41%).
After trading baskets and the lead over the first seven minutes
of the second half, the Ephs held a two point lead at 43-41 with
12:52 remaining in the game. The Rams used an 18-5 run over
the next seven minutes to open up an 11 point lead (59-48) with
6:11 remaining. Junior forward Roderick Jackson (Cambridge,
MA), who led all scorers with 20 points on 9 of 17 shooting from
the field, fueled the Rams run as he scored eight points over that
stretch.
Jackson, who scored 14 points in the second half, fouled out
with 4:02 remaining and the Rams leading 61-54. The Ephs cut
the Rams lead to two on a lay up from senior guard Kevin Snyder
(Littleton, CO) and a jumper from junior Blake Schultz (Atherton,
CA) with 1:14 remaining.
The Rams turned the ball over on their next possession and
fouled senior Michael Kearney (Washington, DC), who sank one of two
freebies to pull the Ephs within one at 61-60 with 30 seconds
remaining.
Junior guard Bill Carey (Abington, MA) was fouled after the
inbounds pass and hit one of two to give the Rams a two point
cushion. On the ensuing possession, the Rams fouled Snyder
with 12.1 seconds left and he sank both free throws to tie the
score at 62-62.
After a Williams College timeout, the Rams pushed the ball up
the floor and junior guard Chad Dixon (Brockton, MA) penetrated and
kicked the ball out to Yarrell for the game winner.
Yarrell finished the game with 13 points and four assists, while
Dixon added 11 points. Junior forward Josue Almodovar
(Holyoke, MA) struggled from the floor but finished with eight
points and a game-high 11 boards. The Ephs were led by Snyder
who finished with 15 points and five assists and Schultz who added
11 points and eight boards.
The Rams return to action on Friday as they play Green Mountain
College at 8 p.m. in the opening round of the Crusader Classic
hosted by Eastern Nazarene College, while the Ephs host SUNY New
Paltz at 7:30 p.m. on December 9th.
