After the RPI zone kept Williams off balance in the early going, improved ball movement in the second half led to plenty of open shots for the Ephs. Leading just 34-30 at the half, Williams came out in the second half and took advantage of outside shooting opportunities. They turned the ball over just seven times and knocked down 16 3-pointers on the afternoon, including 8-of-14 (57 percent) in the second half.
The clutch outside shooting helped Williams build a 13 point lead midway through the second half. Though the Ephs could not jump on a few openings to put their opponents away, they took care of the basketball down the stretch and held on for the victory.
Senior Andrew Newton (11 points, 10 rebounds) and sophomore Chris Rose (13 points, 11 rebounds) chipped in double-doubles to round out the Eph attack with some inside scoring.
Defensively, the small Eph lineup faced quite the challenge in guarding their physically stronger and much bigger opponents. Though the Red Hawks dominated the boards, 48-34, the Ephs scraped together a solid defensive effort, holding RPI to just 32 percent shooting from the field. Tom Schneider was a force to be reckoned with for RPI, scoring 16 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.
“This was a good win against a big, physical team,” Williams Head Coach Dave Paulsen said. “We played fairly well defensively considering how big and strong they were. We got manhandled on the glass, and that is obviously something we need to work on. But it was good for us to play a team like that and get a win.”
Williams will play its home opener on Tuesday night, taking on Westfield State at 7:30 p.m.