February 6, 2007
MEN DEFEAT FRANKLIN PIERCE 65-61 IN OVERTIME
Ezeokoli and Hammond Help Pull Out Late Heroics
Box Score
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| Dan Hammond scored the game-tying to force overtime as the
Bulldogs prevailed 65-61 over Franklin Pierce Tuesday evening. http://www.dspics.com/
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SMITHFIELD, RI - Dan Hammond (Brunswick, Maine)
scored a game-tying layup with five seconds left in regulation
while Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) scored seven
of his game-high 16 points in overtime as the Bryant University
men's basketball team snapped a two-game losing skid with a 65-61
overtime win over Franklin Pierce at the Chace Athletic Center
Tuesday night.
Bryant trailed 55-47 with 1:16 left but closed out the final
minute of regulation with a 6-1 run to force overtime. A
three by Nate Sudlow (Brooklyn, NY) followed by a
jumper from Ryan McLean (Plymouth, Mass.) and
another coast-to-coast layup from Sudlow, trimmed the lead to 56-54
with five seconds left.
After a Bryant timeout to set the defense, Ezeokoli snared
Timothy Munch's inbounds pass in front of the Bulldog bench and fed
a streaking Hammond in the lane to tie the game with 2.5 seconds
left. The Ravens were not able to get a clean shot off as the
two teams headed into overtime for the second time this year.
FPC knocked off Bryant in overtime back on Nov. 26 earlier this
year.
In the extra period, Nazim Senaldi scored in the paint to give
Franklin Pierce (11-12, 9-10 NE-10) a 61-60 lead with a minute to
go. But Ezeokoli was there to save the day for the Bulldogs
once again as the junior drained a deep three to put the Bulldogs
ahead, 63-61 with 47 seconds left and Bryant never looked back.
Bryant (15-7, 12-6 NE-10) entered the game looking to snap a
two-game losing skid after dropping back-to-back games last week
for the first time this season. Despite leading one one at
the half (27-26), the Bulldogs struggled for most of the night
offensively and it looked like the Bulldogs would drop three
in-a-row for the first time in three seasons.
Bryant (15-7, 12-6 NE-10) won despite shooting 37 percent from
the floor in the game and turning the ball over 18 times. But
the Bulldogs were able to withstand a three-point barrage from the
Ravens (12 of 28 from beyond the arc) as Marcus Wellman and Munch
led the visitors with 15 points.
Not to mention, the Bryant offense was dealt a blow early in the
first half when leading scorer Chris Burns (Merrimack,
NH) went down with an injury after scoring 14 points in
the first half. But behind the play of Sudlow (11
points, 6 rebounds) and McLean (8 points, 7 rebounds), the Bulldogs
were able to get back on track and back into the win column.
Bryant will travel to American International College on Saturday
and visit C.W. Post this Sunday for a non-conference game in Long
Island, NY starting at 3:30 pm.
Post Game Notes ...
* Bryant has not dropped three games in a row since the
2004-05 NCAA Championship game season.
* The win is Max Good's 108th at Bryant (217th
overall), moving him one win shy of tying former Coach Ed Reilly's
109 wins for third all-time. Tom Foliard (1968-78) is first
all-time with 174 while Leon Drury (1978-89) is second with 126
victories.
* The 12 made three's by Franklin Pierce tied the season high
for most allowed in ga game. Saint Anselm made 12 in its
upset of the Bulldogs last week.
* The 42 rebounds by Franklin Pierce were the most by a Bryant
opponent this year.
* Bryant is 1-1 in overtime games this year, both coming against
Franklin Pierce
* With his four three-point field goals, Chris
Burns now has 250 for his career. Bryant's career
record is 323 by John Williams (2002-06).
* Ezeokoli made all eight free throw attempts
* Dan Hammond had 8 rebounds while Ryan
McLean added 2 blocks and 2 steals to go with a perfect
4-for-4 shooting night from the field.
