After the break, the Nighthawks returned to the floor with renewed energy as they brought the game back to a tie at the 16:45 mark, and then took their first lead of the half at the 12:30 mark. Newbury’s Arch Mitchell (Framingham, MA/Framingham) collected 20 of his 30 total points in the second half, and was a key factor to the Nighthawks' success.

With Newbury experiencing foul trouble late in the half, the Colonials capitalized and came back to tie the game with 5:45 left in regulation. However, that was the closest they got to catching Newbury as the Nighthawks took control of the game and finished by the score of 76-65.

The Nighthawks shot 56.4% from the floor, as compared to Western Connecticut’s 38.7%, and also out rebounding the Colonials, 36-28.

Cleveland finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, Mitchell had seven boards to go with his 30 points. Also playing a major role for the Nighthawks were Steven Morris (Somerville, MA/Somerville) who ran Newbury’s offense and distributed six assists, and Javon Mathis (West Hartford, CT/Plainville) who had 16 points and nine rebounds.

Procino finished the game with a team-high 19 points for Western Connecticut.

            Holbrook becomes the seventh student-athlete in UMass Dartmouth history to be named the Little East Conference Player of the Year and first since Stefan Pagios headlined the 1995 all-conference teams. He was also named to the Little East All-Conference first-team, making his second appearance on the all-conferences teams after earning second-team honors in 2005-06. The Lexington, Mass. product led the Little East Conference in total rebounding (10.9 rpg), while ranking second in scoring (16.4 ppg), fourth in field goal percentage (.556), and eighth in assists (2.79 apg). Holbrook posted 13 double-doubles on the campaign, including a pair in the 2008 Little East Conference Championship Tournament. He reached double figures in scoring in 23 of 28 games this season, scoring at least 20 points eight times. Holbrook was honored weekly by the conference office seven times, earning player of the week recognition three times and four honorable mention selections.

            The sixth Corsair in the program’s history to be named the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year, Stephens was the top voter getter among the freshman class and also earned a spot on the five player all-rookie team. A starter in 24 of the 28 contests, Stephens averaged double digits in the scoring column with 11.2 points per game. On Jan. 29, 2008, the Dorchester, Mass. native netted a season-high 26 points, including a season-best six three-pointers, against in-state rival UMass Boston. Stephens was tabbed the Little East Conference Rookie of the Week four times on the campaign.

            Baptiste was selected the Little East Conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career. He led his charges to the Little East Conference regular season championship and into the conference tournament finals. UMass Dartmouth was the last team in Division III men’s basketball to lose this season, winning its first 20 games of the campaign. The Corsairs have been ranked in the D3Hoops.com national poll for the past nine listings, rising to No.2 in the Feb. 3, 2008 edition. UMass Dartmouth earned an at-large berth into the 2008 NCAA Tournament, drawing a first round bye and homecourt advantage in the second round.

            UMass Dartmouth junior guard Reece Freeman (Cambridge, Mass.), Southern Maine senior forward Jamaal Caterina (Portland, Maine), Rhode Island College junior guard Tirrell Hill (Bronx, N.Y.), Keene State College junior forward Tyler Kathan (Ludlow, Vt.), and Eastern Connecticut State University senior forward Leon Martin (Woodbury, Conn.) join Holbrook as Little East All-Conference, first-team selections.

Player of the Year:  Dan Holbrook - UMass Dartmouth
Rookie of the Year:  Brandon Stephens - UMass Dartmouth
Coach of the Year:  	Brian Baptiste - UMass Dartmouth

First Team
Player            	Class     	Position   	Institution
Jamaal Caterina    	Senior    	Forward   	Southern Maine
Reece Freeman     	Junior     	Guard      	UMass Dartmouth
Tirrell Hill     	Junior    	Guard      	Rhode Island College
Dan Holbrook     	Senior     	Forward    	UMass Dartmouth
Tyler Kathan       	Junior   	Forward     	Keene State College
Leon Martin        	Senior     	Forward    	Eastern Connecticut

Second Team
Bobby Bailey     	Junior 		Guard       	Rhode Island College
Drew Coppenrath    	Senior   	Forward   	Southern Maine
Kaseem Johnson    	Junior     	Forward   	Rhode Island College
Amigo Paniagua     	Senior    	Guard      	UMass Boston 
Jamie Procino       	Senior    	Forward     	Western Connecticut  

All-Defensive
Bobby Bailey     	Junior     	Guard      	Rhode Island College 
Drew Coppenrath  	Senior    	Forward    	Southern Maine
Reece Freeman      	Junior   	Guard    	UMass Dartmouth
Tyshawn Gillespie 	Sophomore  	Guard       	Western Connecticut 
Kaseem Johnson     	Junior     	Forward    	Rhode Island College