Senior Darren Faust (Queens, N.Y.) became the eighth player in school history to score 1,000 career points in the Wildcats 79-70 loss against intra-state rival Rhode Island College before a standing room only crowd at the Harborside Recreation Center on Tuesday evening.

Faust scored a team-high 23 points and added two rebounds while junior Lamonte Thomas (Providence, R.I.) added 22 points, five assists and four boards for the Wildcats.

Junior Mike Akinora (Woonsocket, R.I.) led the way for Rhode Island College, tallying a game-high 26 points with four rebounds while senior Carl Lee (Warwick, R.I.) added 18 points and four boards for the Anchormen.

Johnson & Wales jumped out to the early lead and held a 15-3 advantage on a layup by Faust at the 15:43 mark.  The Wildcats led by as many as 15 points after Faust's three pointer with 7:42 remaining in the first half gave the squad the 30-15 lead.  Rhode Island College responded, however and cut the lead to 37-32 heading into the locker room at halftime after closing the stanza on a 17-7 run.

The visiting Anchormen continued their run early in the second half and took their first lead of the game on a layup by sophomore Steven Roberts (New Haven, Conn.), making the score 44-43 with 15:37 left on the clock.  The two teams proceeded to trade baskets with the game tied 59-59 after a pair of free throws by JWU's Louis Ferreras (Providence, R.I.) with 8:27 remaining.  RIC used a 16-5 run over the next six minutes and took their biggest lead of the second half on two free throws by junior Mason Choice (Newport, R.I.), making the score 75-64 with just over two minutes left.  The Anchormen would hold on for the 79-70 victory.

With the loss Johnson & Wales is now 1-3 while Rhode Island College improves to 5-1.  The Wildcats will return to action on Thursday, December 2nd when they host intra-state rival Salve Regina in a non-conference contest at 7:00 p.m.