January 5, 2008
SAINT ROSE DEFEATS BRYANT, 85-72; SNAPS BULLDOGS' FOUR-GAME
WINNING STREAK
Boxscore
ALBANY, NY - Despite a career-high 26 points from sophomore
forward Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, Conn.), the
Bryant University men's basketball team saw its four-game winning
streak snapped at the hands of the College of Saint Rose, 85-72,
Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs (8-6, 4-5 Northeast-10) went up 5-0 to start the
game, taking a 10-7 lead over the Golden Knights (10-3, 7-1) at the
14-minute mark. The two teams kept it close for the majority of the
first frame until Saint Rose took a 27-21 advantage with 5:14
showing on the clock.
Gresham responded with a big 3-pointer, his third of four in the
first half, that brought the score back to a 27-24 Saint Rose lead.
Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) tied the game
up at 32-32 with the first of two free throws with 1:44 before the
break and made good on the back end to for the lead.
With 17 final seconds ticking down on the clock, Saint Rose's
Steve D'Agostino drained a big three to go up, 39-35, but the trey
wouldn't go unanswered. With just six seconds showing, Gresham
drained a trey for a fourth time, giving him 17 first-half points
and just a 39-38 deficit to take into the locker room.
Bryant out rebounded the Golden Knights in the first half,
21-17, while both teams got big points from the free throw line,
with the Bulldogs going 16-for-21 and Saint Rose making good on
14-of-19.
The game remained tight through much of the second half, and
while Saint Rose led thr whole frame, the Golden Knights did lead
by more than 5 until Will Monica got a big basketball and the extra
point opportunity off Gresham's second foul to give his team the
64-57 advantage with 7:27 showing.
The game quickly got away from the Bulldogs, as D'Agostino drove
the lead up to 12 points when Shanty Robinson stole the ball from
Bryant after an easy D'Agostino layup before giving the ball back
to D'Agostino for a quick 3-pointer to make Saint Rose's lead 69-57
with 6:32 left to play.
An early technical foul called on Chris Birrell just 1:49 into
the contest proved costly, as the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer
fouled out of the game with 4:36 still to play. And with two
successful free throws off the foul, the Golden Knights increased
their lead to 75-61.
Gresham's 26 points were a game high on the day, while
Jerrann Wright (Cincinnati, Ohio) led Bryant on
the glass with 10 boards and chipped in 14 points. D'Agonstino led
the Golden Knights with 21 points.
Bryant will return to the Chace Athletic Center, Tues., Jan. 8
to host Assumption College at 7:30 p.m. This will be the second
regular-season meeting between the Bulldogs and the Greyhounds, as
Bryant looks to avenge its 69-66 road loss back on Nov. 28.
