December 1, 2007

BRYANT MEN'S BASKETBALL REBOUNDS WITH 70-52 WIN OVER UMASS LOWELL SATURDAY
Ezeokoli Nets 1,000^th Career Point

Senior Jon Ezeokoli (above) scored his 1,000th career point with a three-pointer in the second half of Bryant's 70-52 win over UMass Lowell.  www.dspics.com

SMITHFIELD, RI - Bryant University senior guard Jon Ezeokoli scored 16 points including the 1,000^th of his career in leading the host Bulldogs to a 70-52 win over visiting UMass Lowell here Saturday. The win improves the Bulldogs to 3-3 on the season (2-2 NE-10) heading into Tuesday night's showdown with top-ranked and undefeated Bentley College (7:30 pm) at the Chace Athletic Center.

The Bulldogs took control of the game early, racing out to a 32-20 lead at the half and stretching the lead to 40-22 on a pair of layups from Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) and Barry Latham (Taunton, Mass.) just four minutes into the second half.

UMass Lowell (1-3, 1-3 NE-10), behind nine points from Craig Heatherly, would pull to within 44-31 following two made free throws by Kevin Carr, but a three by Birrell  following another three from Ezeokoli with 9:31 left stretched the lead to 53-21 and the Bulldogs cruised from there.  The three by Ezeokoli put him over 1,000 for his career, becoming the 31^st player in school history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.  He came into the game needing 11 points to reach the mark.

Bryant shot 44.8 percent from the floor in the game and turned the ball over just nine times.  Latham had a solid game, finishing with 14 points while adding six rebounds and three blocked shots.  Birrell had seven points while Jerrann Wright (Cincinnati, OH) added eight points and team-high nine rebounds. 

12/1/07 3:30 pm at Smithfield, RI

 BRYANT 70, UMASS LOWELL 52
UMASS LOWELL (1-3, 1-3 NE-10)
HEATHERLY, Craig 4-9 0-0 9; WETZEL, Conor 2-4 4-6 8; LYNCH, Jamael 3-6 0-1 7; KANAAN, Ali 3-5 0-0 7; GORE, Michael 3-4 0-0 6; KERMAN, Max 2-4 2-3 6; HARPER, Dashon 2-7 0-0 5; CARR, Kevin 1-6 2-2 4; Rob Breckenridge 0-0 0-0 0; COLON, Victor 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 8-12 52.

BRYANT (3-3, 2-2 NE-10)
Jon Ezeokoli 6-11 0-1 16; Barry Latham 6-12 0-1 14; Peter Lambert 3-8 0-0 9; Jerrann Wright 2-6 4-4 8; Chris Birrell 3-9 0-0 7; Ryan McLean 2-2 2-2 6; Cecil Gresham 1-6 1-2 4; Adam Parzych 1-1 0-0 2; John Fogarty 1-1 0-0 2; Andrew Lyell 1-1 0-1 2; Jordan Papandinis 0-0 0-0 0; Ray Witkos 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 7-11 70.
Halftime: Bryant 35- 20

3-point goals--UMass Lowell 4-13 (LYNCH, Jamael 1-3; HARPER, Dashon 1-3; HEATHERLY, Craig 1-2; KANAAN, Ali 1-3; CARR, Kevin 0-1; KERMAN, Max 0-1), Bryant 11-27 (Jon Ezeokoli 4-7; Peter Lambert 3-8; Barry Latham 2-4; Chris Birrell 1-4; Cecil Gresham 1-4). Fouled out--UMass Lowell-None, Bryant-None. Rebounds--UMass Lowell 34 (KANAAN, Ali 6), Bryant 33 (Jerrann Wright 9). Assists--UMass Lowell 11 (CARR, Kevin 3; HEATHERLY, Craig 3; LYNCH, Jamael 3), Bryant 20 (Chris Birrell 5). Total fouls--UMass Lowell 17, Bryant 19.

Technical fouls--UMass Lowell-None, Bryant-None. A-687