November 17, 2007

BRYANT DROPS 2007-08 SEASON OPENER TO BRIDGEPORT ON THE ROAD, 70-49

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- The Bryant men's basketball team, picked to finish fourth in the Northeast-10 Conference in 2007-08, lost its season opener Saturday afternoon to the University of Bridgeport, 70-49, in the Bridgeport Classic.

Junior Jerrann Wright (Cincinatti, Ohio) and sophomore Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) each pitched in a team-high 13 points while Wright grabbed a game-high 11 boards and shot 5-for-9 from the floor in 33 minutes. Birell recorded the Bulldogs' only two steals of the contest.

Both Birrell and senior Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) were perfect from the line, going 4-for-4 and 6-for-6, respectively, while Bryant shot 76.2 percent as a team from the line on the day. But the Bulldogs were just a combined 1-for-14 on three-point attempts to Bridgeport's 6-for-20 effort.

Cornell Littlejohn led Bridgeport with a game-high 17 points in 28 minutes, shooting 2-for-2 from the line and 6-for-11 from the floor, including three treys. Bryant edged the Purple Knights in rebounds, 45-31, but turned the ball over twice as much, 24-12.

The Bulldogs next take on Post University, Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. in their final game of the Bridgeport Classic.