January 19, 2008

BRYANT DEFEATS LE MOYNE ON ROAD, 73-52, SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Boxscore

SYRACUSE, NY - Led by a game-high 17 points from sophomore Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) and 46 percent shooting from the floor, the Bryant University men's basketball team topped Le Moyne College, 73-52, at Grant Court Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (10-8, 6-7 Northeast-10) entered halftime in a 33-33 draw with the Dolphins (9-9, 7-6) after Birrell led Bryant to a 40 percent clip from the floor in the first frame with nine points.

After the intermission, the Bulldogs came out to a 7-0 run that kept Le Moyne away from the basket for nearly four full minutes and drove the score to 40-33.

With 11:36 showing on the clock, Peter Lambert (Cumberland, RI) hit from behind the arc move Bryant's advantage to 52-40, and shortly after went back-to-back for two more treys - his third and fourth of the game - to boost the away team to a 64-46 lead.

Bryant ran with a 68-48 lead as the clock ticked down under 3:00, and each team would score once more - with the Bulldogs adding two from the line and the Dolphins adding one - for a final tally of 73-52.

In the first half, Birrell put the Bulldogs up, 16-12, with just over 10 minutes to play with a big 3-pointer, and upped the score again 11 minutes in for a 21-16 tally. But with 5:15 till halftime, Le Moyne's Dan Cromwell hit two from the line to tie the score at 25-25.

While back-to-back treys from Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) gave Bryant a 31-27 edge late in the half, the game stayed close most of the frame for the 33-33 score at the break.

The Bulldogs went 11-of-12 from the stripe and outrebounded the Dolphins, 40-35. Jerrann Wright's (Cincinnati, Ohio) eight rebounds led the game, while four Bulldogs scored double-digit points.

The Bulldogs stay on the road for their next contest, a Sat., Jan. 26 bout with UMass Lowell. Bryant is 1-0 against the River Hawks this season, beating them, 72-50, at the Chace Athletic Center on Dec. 1. Tipoff is 3:30 p.m.