December 12, 2009

COLUMBIA DEFEATS BRYANT 69-57 SATURDAY IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

box score

In his second career start, Mike Chroney was 4-for-5 from the field and finished with 10 points in 32 minutes against Columbia Saturday.  www.dspics.com

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Columbia's Noruwa Agho scored a game-high 23 points on 9 of 12 shooting from the floor to help lead the visiting Lions to a 69-57 non-conference win over Bryant University Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center. 

Columbia (5-4) led 31-28 at the half and opened the second half outscoring the Bulldogs 11-4 as a steal and layup by Niko Scott gave the Lions their largest lead of the game, 42-32 with 14 minutes left.  The Lions would stretch the lead to 53-39 on back-to-back 3-point field goals by Agho, but the Bulldogs would answer.

A basket and free throw from junior Mike Chroney (Nashua, N.H.) pulled the Bulldogs back to within 55-47 with just over six minutes left, but a pair of free throws by Patrick Foley followed by a pull-up jumper in the lane by Scott and another basket inside by Agho put the game away. 

Columbia made 6 of 8 free throws in the final 5:07 and finished the game making 20 of 25 from the free throw line.  Foley and Brian Grimes (7 rebounds) each had 12 points for the Lions who held a 33-23 edge on the glass.

Bryant (0-10) got 13 points from freshman guard Raphael Jordan (Bel Air, Md.).  Jordan was 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and dished out four assists as the Bulldogs shot 48 percent from the floor in the game.

Chroney, coming off a career-high 11 points in his first career start Wednesday at Yale, was 4-for-5 shooting Saturday adding five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 32 minutes.

Bryant will travel to Boston College next Sunday (4 pm).