BRISTOL, R.I. – Roger Williams University moved into the championship game of the 2012 Courtyard By Marriott Tip-Off with a 56-53 win over Lesley University Friday evening in the team's 2012-13 opener.

Roger Williams (1-0) will face Suffolk University in the championship game tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Suffolk earned its trip via an 81-60 win over the University of Maine-Fort Kent in the nightcap. Lesley and UMFK will face off in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m.

In the opener, Roger Williams' senior James LeCardi (Fair Haven, N.J.) led all scorers with a career-high 22 points, including four three pointers. Ryan Palumbo (Warwick, R.I.) went for eight points and five rebounds, while Adam Cook (Manasquan, N.J.) finished with nine points and six assists.

Lesley's Kris Bennett (Inglewood, Calif.) notched a double-double for the Lynx with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Justin Rosa (East Brunswick, N.J.) had ten points and four assists with Brian Glodowski (Roseville, Calif.) adding nine points.

Roger Williams had control of the game early, going up by as many as 11 in the first half (16-5). However, Lesley fought back to take a 23-22 lead with 6:23 to play in the period on a fastbreak layup by Anthony Mattocks (Sarasota, Fla.). Both teams traded baskets over the rest of the half, entering the break tied at 27.

The Lynx began the second half on a 10-2 run to go up by eight (37-29) at the 15:04 mark. The Hawks would tie the game at 39 on a pair of free throws by Matt Grossbard (Pearl River, N.Y.) and then regained the lead for good on a trey by LeCardi with 8:14 to play.

Lesley kept the game close in the end, pulling to within one 26 seconds to play, but LeCardi iced the game with a pair of free throws with two seconds to play, followed by Joseph Henry (Medway, Mass.) stealing the ensuing half-court inbound pass to secure the win.

Release Courtesy of Roger Williams Sports Information