Bryant Slips Past Franklin Pierce, 65-61 (OT)
Ezeokoli leads Bulldogs rally from eight points down in last minute of regulation
SMITHFIELD, R.I. (February 6, 2007) - Franklin Pierce squandered an eight-point lead with 76-seconds to go in regulation before falling to Bryant University, 65-61, in overtime in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Chace Wellness Center tonight.
Junior Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, N.J./St. Benedict's) scored 14 of his game-high 16 points after halftime, including seven of Bryant's nine points in overtime, to go with six rebounds (three offensive) and three assists. Senior Chris Burns (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) netted all 14 of his points in the first half, before leaving early in the second half with an injury, canning 4-of-9 three-pointers and dishing four assists. Senior Nathaniel Sudlow (Brooklyn, N.Y./Tilden) added 11 points (all after halftime), six rebounds and three assists, while classmate Dan Hammond (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) snared a team-high eight rebounds.
Sophomore Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) and freshman Marcus Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) combined for 30 of Franklin Pierce's 61 points, each netting 15. Munch hit 5-of-7 shots from the field, including 4-6 from three-point range, and grabbed four rebounds, while Wellman converted 6-7 free-throws and totaled four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Senior Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline) contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, while sophomore Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania) grabbed a game and career-high nine rebounds (five offensive).
Neither team shot particularly well on the night as Franklin Pierce hit 32.8-percent (19-for-58) of its shots from the field, while Bryant shot 37.1% (23-62). The Ravens connected on 12-of-28 (42.9%) shots from three-point range, including 7-14 (50%) in the second half, but were hampered by 11-19 (57.9%) shooting at the free-throw line. The Bulldogs converted 10-of-12 (83.3%) free-throw attempts.
The game featured eight ties and 12 lead changes, including four of each over the opening half. Bryant led by as much as seven (27-20) over the opening 20 minutes after a Burns three with 3:37 left before the break. A Craig Shepherd (Grantham, N.H./Trinity) three pulled Franklin Pierce within a point (27-26) heading into the lockerroom.
While Bryant carried the momentum in the opening half, Franklin Pierce had the better run of play in the second. Sudlow hit a pair of free-throws to put the Bulldogs up three (40-37) with 9:01 left in regulation, but Wellman immediately knotted the score for the third time of the half with a three. That sparked a 9-0 run that put the Ravens up six (46-40) after a Minnifield three with 6:21 to play.
Munch canned a three to put the visitors up seven (52-45) with 3:22 left in regulation and the Ravens lead was a game-high eight (55-47) after a Minnifield free-throw with 1:46 to go, but Munch's three would prove to be the Ravens final field goal of regulation as Bryant forced overtime with a 9-1 run. Munch hit one of two at the line for a four-point Franklin Pierce lead with 11-seconds left. Sudlow scored a driving layup with seven-seconds left, and after a timeout, the Ravens turned the ball over on the inbounds pass and Hammond converted the layup off his own steal with 2.8-seconds to play that knotted the score (56-56).
Wellman opened the extra period with a three-pointer to put the Ravens in front (59-56) and their lead was a point (61-60) after a Nazim Senaldi (Istanbul, Turkey) leaner with 1:07 to play. Ezeokoli went to work from there, burying a three-pointer to put the hosts up for good (63-61) with 51-seconds on the clock and his two free throws with 12-seconds left sealed the win.
Franklin Pierce (11-12, 9-10 NE-10) returns home on Saturday when it hosts Saint Anselm College at 3:30 p.m. Bryant (15-7, 12-6 NE-10) visits American International College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.