December 6, 2008
Eagles Edged By Nichols, 89-83

Nashua – The duo of Chris Paquin (Barre, Mass.) and Pete Atkins (Gainesville, Fla.) combined for 51 points with Paquin knocking down 26 and Atkins hitting for 25 along with a game high 11 rebounds leading Nichols College past host Daniel Webster College, 89-83 Saturday at Vagge Gymnasium.

Ryan Wilcox (W. Granby, Conn.) added 13 points including what would prove to be the eventual game winning hoop with 45 seconds left as the Bison (3-4) halted a three-game skid. Jeff Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.) also hit for 13.

Brian Inge (Fort Washington, Md.) led Daniel Webster (3-3) in double figures with 23 points, as the Eagles dropped their thirds straight.

Chris Hanson (Salem, Mass.) added 16, Tim Jackson (West Henrietta, N.Y.) notched 12, Steve Savage (Salem, Mass.) hit for 11 and William Kemp Harris (Suitland, Md.) netted 10 and nine rebounds.

The game was a back and forth affair throughout, seeing nine lead changes including eight in the second half, and was markedly different from a 26-point Bison victory last season.

Nichols led by as many as eight in the opening frame and owned a 42-34 lead with 2:13 remaining but the Eagles closed with a 10-2 run sparked by five points from Savage for a 44-44 halftime tie.

Nichols again pushed out to an eight-point lead in the second but the Eagles would slowly chip away, eventually tying the score at 83 on two free throws from Chris Voukides (Salem, N.H.) with 2:32 to play.

Neither team would pull ahead until Wilcox buried a 10-fotter with 45 seconds left for an 85-83 lead. The Eagles couldn’t capitalize on their final three possessions and the Bison went 4 for 4 at the line down the stretch.

The Eagles are now off until Sunday, December 28th when they visit Harvard University. The game will be the second Ivy League college the Eagles have visited in the last two seasons.

Nichols visits Fisher College Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.