February 17, 2009

GRESHAM POSTS DOUBLE-DOUBLE AS BULLDOGS ROUT NJIT, 70-46, TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE CHACE CENTER

Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, Conn. / MCI) posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Bulldogs past NJIT, 70-46, Tuesday night at the Chace Center. It was the second- lowest point total allowed by Bryant this season, as the Bulldogs recorded a season-high eight blocks, helping the squad avenge an loss earlier this season in Newark to the Highlanders.

Chris Birrell (Scituate, R.I. / Scituate) had 12 points in the game while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. The Bulldogs registered 20 assists in the game on their 25 field goals, with Adam Parzych (Lindenhurst, N.Y. / Lindenhurst) leading the way, handing out a career-high six helpers.

Bryant (8-19), who was held to just 15 first half points in the first meeting between the two teams, put up 35 this time around to take their second biggest halftime lead of the season at 35 -19. Bryant shot 56 percent from the floor in the frame and 4-for-8 from behind the arc while dishing out 12 assists on 14 field goals.

Gresham, Birrell, Nick Pontes (New Bedford, Mass. / New Bedford), and Jerrann Wright (Cincinnati, Ohio / Dater) all contributed six first half points, pacing a balanced Bulldog attack that saw eight different players score. Birrell also had four assists and four rebounds while Gresham pulled down eight boards.

After the Highlanders took an early 7-5 lead, Bryant rattled off ten-straight points, getting six in the paint from junior forward Nick Pontes to grab a 15-7 lead with 12:31 remaining in the first.

NJIT (1-25) would get as close as four after that and only trailed by seven after a Jheryl Wilson two with 5:40 remaining, cutting the Bryant lead down to 23-16. Wilson led all scorers with 10 in the half, but the Highlander offense struggled against the Bulldog zone defense, connecting on 8-for-26 from the floor and only 2-for-10 from the outside.

Bryant opened up the lead with a 12-3 run to end the half, with four different players scoring. Parzych had two nice dishes in that stretch, setting up Andrew Lyell (Portsmouth, R.I. / Porstmouth) for a layup plus a foul and Wright for an easy put-in, helping Bryant to an 18-point advantage at the break.

The Bulldogs continued their hot shooting to open the second half, getting six-straight from Gresham and Peter Lambert (Cumberland, R.I. / Cumberland) to take a 22- point lead. Lambert connected on three treys in the game, tying him with Jon Wallace for sixth all-time in made three point field goals with 116.

The Highlanders would get back within 16 following a three from Wilson at the 14:15 mark, but that would be as close as they would get in the contest. The team finished shooting just 28 percent from three and 29.8 percent for the game. Wilson was the lone player in double figures with 16. Ryan Regis led the team on the boards with eight, but the visitors were beaten on the boards 42-35 in the game.

Seven points from Wright sparked a 16-3 Bryant run, pushing the gap to 29 at 60-31 with 9:45 to go. The senior center finished with 13 for the game and was one of three Bulldogs to score in double-digits.

Gary Garris put an end to the run by converting on a three point play cutting the deficit back to 24, but the Bulldogs struck for six-straight on a two by Gresham, a three from Birrell and a free-throw from Ryan McLean (Plymouth, Mass. / Plymouth North), giving Bryant its biggest lead of the year at 66-34 with only 5:29 remaining. McLean had three points and five rebounds in the game.

Junior Anthony Thomas (Boston, Mass. / Cathedral) finished the scoring by converting on two free-throws, registering his first collegiate points and pushing Bryant to the 70-point mark.

The Bulldogs converted 13 NJIT turnovers into 21 points while dominating scoring in the paint, outscoring the Highlanders 24-12. The 10-for-19 performance from three was the second-best shooting display on the year, behind the 9-for-15 performance at Quinnipiac.

Bryant plays its final home game of its inaugural Division I season on Thursday night as they battle St. Francis (NY) at the Chace Center (7 p.m.). The Bulldogs will honor senior captains Ryan McLean, Jerrann Wright, Peter Lambert and Andrew Lyell prior to the game.