February 16, 2008

BRYANT MEN DEFEAT SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 74-57 SATURDAY AFTERNOON BEHIND 19 FROM EZEOKOLI

BOX SCORE

Senior John Fogarty was honored along with classmate Jon Ezeokoli prior to the start of Saturday's game with Southern Connecticut.  Fogarty had three rebounds in his first start of the season. www.dspics.com

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Bryant senior guard Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) scored a game -high 19 points to lead the Bryant University men's basketball team to 74-57 win over visiting Southern Connecticut in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action Saturday at the Chace Athletic Center. 

Bryant (16-9, 12-8 Northeast-10) held the visiting Owls to just three field goals in the final five minutes of the first half to take control of the game early.  A 12-0 run sparked by a three from Ezeokoli helped give the Bulldogs a commanding 41-15 lead with a minute to go before the break. Ezeokoli would beat the first half buzzer with a nice offensive drive and basket off the glass to send the Bulldogs into the locker room with a 43-19 lead. 

Southern Connecticut (6-18, 2-17 NE-10) would make it a game in the second half.  The Owls, who came into the game with just one win in their last 14 games, used an 18-6 run to open the half to cut the lead down to 49-37 following a three-pointer and a drive from Andrew Zito. 

Two free throws from Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT) pushed the lead back out to 56-39, but Southern Connecticut would not go away.  Using strong second-half rebounding, the Owls closed to within 11, 63-52 on another bucket by Zito with 3:23 left, but that would be as close as the visitors would get as Bryant would close out the game making nine free throws to earn their fourth consecutive victory. 

The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the floor in the game but were out-rebounded by Southern Connecticut, 41-22.  Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) had 14 points and seven assists while Gresham and Barry Latham (Taunton, MA) each had 10.  Zito finished with 10 for the Owls who were led by Ktrice McNeil's team-high 12. 

Ezeokoli, who was honored prior to the start of the game along with John Fogarty (Smithfield, RI) for senior night, finished the night 6-for-9 shooting from the floor including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Bryant will travel Stonehill College this Tuesday evening for a 7:30 p.m. game.  With Stonehill's loss at Assumption Saturday, Bryant moves fourth place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of the Skyhawks (15-11, 11-8 NE-10).