NEWPORT, R.I. — Senior Mike Spencer (Abington, Mass.) scored a game-high 28 points as Salve Regina University posted its first victory of the season and handed Babson College its first setback, 78-70, in non-conference men's basketball action inside the Rodgers Recreation Center.

With the win, Salve improves to 1-2 on the young season while Babson falls to 3-1 with the loss.

First-year Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) led the Beavers with 19 points and seven rebounds, while graduate student Mitchell Kirsch (Atkinson, N.H.) added 16 points and five boards after knocking down three three-pointers. First-year Rob Crouch (Jacksonville, Fla.) contributed 12 points, five assists and four steals in the setback.

Spencer hit 10 of his 19 shots in the game and also grabbed nine rebounds for the Seahawks. Graduate student Cameron Collins (Montville, Conn.) scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting and collected eight rebounds, and grad student Kevin Kelly (Valhalla, N.Y.) posted his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 boards while also blocking three shots.

Babson battled back from an early deficit to tie the game at 16-all on an offensive rebound and dunk by senior Colin Bradanese (Billerica, Mass.). Salve regained the lead with back-to-back three pointers by first-year Declan Walmsley (Franklin, Mass.) and sophomore Clay Brochu (North Kingstown, R.I.) and later extended its lead to seven points (32-25) on a traditional three-point play by Collins.

Babson pulled back to within four points at the half, 35-31, after a pair of free throws by Amado.

Collins scored the first four points of the second half on a bucket and a pair of free throws to push the margin up to eight points (39-31). The teams traded baskets over the next 10 minutes until Crouch drained a three-pointer to pull the Beavers to within two points at 55-53 with 8:29 remaining, but Salve answered with eight consecutive points on a Chris Peasley hoop and consecutive basket-and-ones from Collins and Kelly to give the Seahawks a double-digit lead (63-53) with five minutes to go.

Babson would not go down easily and got back to within four points after back-to-back threes from sophomore John Gorgol (Scottsdale, Ariz.), but that's as close as the Beavers would get. Salve secured the win with seven consecutive points from Spencer, and Kelly and Spencer combined for eight straight free throws in the final minute.

Babson returns home to host the University of Saint Joseph (Connecticut) on Wednesday inside Staake Gymnasium at 7:30 p.m. Salve looks to make it two wins in a row Tuesday at home against Coast Guard at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• Babson made more baskets (26-25) and more three-pointers (8-4) than Salve but the Seahawks went 24-of-29 at the free throw line while the Beavers were just 10-of-20 from the stripe.
• Salve defeated Babson for just the third time in 13 career meetings, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Beavers and winning for the first time since November 18, 2000.
• Bradanese was held to just seven points after scoring in double figures in 11 of his previous 13 games dating back to last season.