February 11, 2007
BRYANT BASKETBALL
EZEOKOLI'S CAREER-HIGH 30 POINTS LEADS BRYANT TO 75-60
WIN AT C.W. POST SUNDAY AFTERNOON
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| Junior Jon Ezeokoli scored a career-high 30 points in leading
Bryant past CW Post Sunday afternoon.
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BOX SCORE
BROOKVILLE, NY - Junior guard Jon Ezeokoli
scored a career-high 30 points while senior guard Chris
Burns dished out a career-high 9 assists as the Bryant
University men's basketball team picked up a most impressive 75-60
non-conference win over C.W. Post here at the Pratt Recreation
Center Sunday afternoon.
The win for the Bulldogs was critical for several reasons.
One, it was a non-conference win against a team in the hunt for an
NCAA tournament berth. The Pioneers are ranked No. 7 in the
region while Bryant is currently fourth.
But more important, when the Bulldogs needed to dig down deep
and pull out a much-needed win, they did just that. Battling
a rash of injuries and playing on consecutive nights after a loss
Saturday at American International, Bryant did everything it needed
to pick up the win.
After a first half battle that saw four different lead changes
and six ties, the Bulldogs came alive in the second half. Up
by just two at the break (33-31), the Bulldogs stretched its lead
to 41-39 following a drive and alley-oop from Burns to Ezeokoli
four minutes into the second half.
Ezeokoli, trying to bounce back after a tough afternoon
offensively against AIC Saturday, was clearly the best player on
the court as the junior made 12 of 16 shots from the floor and
scored 19 points in the second half.
Leading 57-50, the Bryant (16-8) used a 9-0 run to put the game
away as Cecil Gresham drained a three-pointer on
the baseline with 1:42 remaining to make it 66-50.
Gresham equaled his career high in the game as the freshman
forward finished with 17 points on 7 of 13 shooting from the
floor. Nick Pontes came off the bench to
score 7 points as Bryant out-rebounded the Pioneers 41 to 30 in the
game.
The win was the 109th for coach Max
Good at Bryant, tying him with Ed Reilly for third
all-time at Bryant.
C.W. Post was led by Jack Minister's 10 points as the Pioneers
were held to 39 percent shooting from the floor.
Bryant will return to Northeast-10 Conference action this
Wednesday when the Bulldogs head north to Burlington, Vermont to
face Saint Michael's College for a 7:30 p.m. game.
* NOTES ...
* This was the first meeting between Bryant and C.W. Post since
the first round of the 2004 NCAA Division II Northeast Regional
tournament won by Bryant 65-63 in Lowell, Mass. Bryant
seniors Chris Burns and Nate Sudlow were freshmen on that team.
* CW Post entered the game ranked No. 7 in the NCAA Northeast
Region, the second-highest East Coast Conference team ranked
(Bridgeport at No. 5). Bryant is ranked No. 4 in the latest
regional poll released Feb. 7.
* CW Post came into the game 8-2 at home with one loss coming
against Bentley College earlier in the year.
