Salve Regina got the job done inside scoring nearly half its points (24) in the paint. Eastern Nazarene led briefly (10-9) before a Chris Collier [Jr./Exeter NH] layup put the Seahawks up for good.
Led by Collier (four) and Jon Hazzard [Fr./North Kingstown RI] (three), the Seahawks produced a team-record 11 blocked shots. Salve Regina held the Crusaders to just 25 percent shooting from the floor. Collier also had a team-high four steals and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Crusader guard Edson Cardoso [Jr./Dorchester MA] led his team with 10 points before fouling out. Three other Crusaders finished with four personal fouls apiece. Salve Regina didn’t take advantage at the charity stripe, shooting only 54 percent (13-of-24).
Eastern Nazarene (6-13; 4-7 CCC) was equally as wasteful at the free-throw line, making only eight of 14 attempts (57 percent). Salve Regina (5-14; 5-6 CCC) guard Matt Smolensky [So./New York NY] scored seven of his team’s first nine points in the game before suffering a shoulder injury early in the second half.