March 16, 2008

2008 NCAA NORTHEAST REGIONAL

BRYANT v. BENTLEY: ROUND THREE

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It just wouldn't be an NCAA tournament game without a Bryant - Bentley matchup.  In what will be the final meeting between these two Northeast-10 Conference rivals, Bryant and Bentley will meet up in the regional semifinals this evening at 7:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to the regional final Tuesday night where they will face the winner of the Saint Rose / Assumption semifinal which will tap off at 5 p.m. Sunday. The championship is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Bentley's Dana Center.  Bryant defeated C.W. Post 63-56 in the first round Saturday evening behind 16 points from Jon Ezeokoli and 13 points and 10 rebounds from Cecil Gresham.  This will be the third meeting between the two schools in the last four NCAA tournaments.

BRYANT LIKES THE SEMIFINAL FEELING
Bryant comes into tonight's game 3-0 all-time in NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal games.  Last year, Bryant defeated second-seed Saint Rose 65-62 in Waltham, MA before falling to Bentley in the finals, 63-54.  In 2005, Bryant defeated seventh-seed Bloomfield 76-59 in Waltham, MA and would go on to defeat Bentley, 74-64 in the regional final.  In 2004, Bryant defeated sixth-seed NYIT, 64-60 in Lowell, MA before falling to host UMass Lowell at the buzzer, 63-62 in the regional final.  By the way, the Bulldogs defeated Tarleton State (TX) 60-55 in the national semifinals in Grand Forks, ND in 2005.

BRYANT - BENTLEY
No strangers to meeting in the postseason, Bryant and Bentley meet up Sunday night.  The two teams have met in two of the last three NCAA tournaments.  The Falcons have won six in a row against Bryant dating back to Bryant's 88-78 double overtime win in the regular season in 2006 back in Smithfield, RI.  Bryant and Bentley met in the 2005 regional final with Bryant winning 74-64 en route to a trip to the Elite Eight and National Championship game.  Bentley won all four meetings last season including an NE-10 semifinal win and 85-74 victory in the NCAA Regional Championship game at the Dana Center.

BULLDOGS IN NCAA'S UNDER MAX
Bryant is now 10-8 all-time in the NCAA's with all 10 wins coming under coach Max Good. Good is 10-4 in NCAA play at Bryant including an NCAA regional championship in 2005 en route to the NCAA finals, and three NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances (2004, 2005, 2007).

LAST MEETING WITH BENTLEY - Falcons 69, Bryant 68 (Waltham, MA - Feb. 2, 2008)
Bryant's Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT) drained a three-pointer with 7 seconds left to put the visiting Bulldogs ahead and on the verge of an upset of the top-ranked team.  But Bentley had the answer once again as Yusuf Abdul-Ali, held to just 1 of 9 shooting and four turnovers by the Bulldog defense before Gresham's shot, drove the lane on the Falcons' ensuing possession and scored the game-winner off the glass as time expired to keep its perfect record intact. The game featured 13 lead changes and nine ties.

Bryant fell behind 57-53 with a little over six minutes left, but managed to draw even at 65-65 with a minute to go. With a chance to take the lead, guard Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) would miss a three-point attempt with 56 seconds left and Bentley's Jason Westrol would answer with a drive in the lane to put the hosts up 67-65 with 25 seconds remaining on the Dana Center clock. 

Following a timeout to draw up a play, Bryant would work the ball around the perimeter.  With Bentley, over-playing Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ), Birrell found a wide open Gresham who drained a deep three from the right side to put the Bulldogs ahead, 69-68 with seven ticks on the clock only to see Ali come up with the game-winning drive.  

Bryant trailed by only a point at the half, 32-31 taking a 13-9 in the early moments.  Bentley would counter with a 14-2 run to race back out in front 23-15.  Birrell would knock down a pair of trey's before picking up his second foul with 3:09 left before halftime.  Reserve Ray Witkos (Easthampton, MA) entered the game for Birrell and was fouled immediately attempting a three by Bentley's Westrol.  Witkos sank all three free throws to pull the Bulldogs even 26-26.  Birrell had another fine game on both ends of the floor. The sophomore finished with 17 points and six assists in 36 minutes.  Ezeokoli, who had 11 first half points, added 17 points while Gresham chipped in with 14 plus four boards. Bentley was led by Westrol's 17 points while Lew Finnegan had 17. 

BRYANT VS. C.W. POST IN FIRST ROUND - Bryant 63, CW Post 56

Jon Ezeokoli (South Orange, NJ) scored 10 of his team-high 16 points from the free throw line as the Bryant University men's basketball team defeated C.W. Post 63-56 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Regional here Saturday night.  Bryant will now advance to the regional semifinals Sunday night where they will face top-ranked Bentley College at 7:30 p.m.

The winner of Sunday's game between Bryant and Bentley will advance to the regional final to be played Tuesday evening in Waltham, MA. Saint Rose and Assumption will meet in the other semifinal at 5 p.m.

Bryant trailed 26-25 at the half but used a tough second-half defense to advance to the regional semifinals for the fourth time in five trips to the postseason under coach Max Good.  A dunk by CW. Post forward Lyndon Daniel with 6:38 left gave the Pioneers a 44-42 lead.  But a Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT) basket on a put-back on a Barry Latham (Taunton, MA) miss helped Bryant tie the game up at 44-44 with just over five minutes to play.

Bryant (18-12) would take advantage of cold shooting from the floor - and at the line - to charge ahead by as much as eight, 53-45 with 1:47 left as C.W. Post failed to score a field goal since Daniel's dunk until Wesley Matthews lay-up with 30 seconds left.

CW Post (26-5) made just 19 of 35 free throws in the game and got a game-high 23 points from guard Jonathan Schmidt.   Bryant, which finished the night shooting 39 percent from the floor, made 28 of 39 free throws including 16 of 23 in the second half to advance to Sunday's semifinal.  Gresham added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Bulldogs.

Bentley swept both season meetings against Bryant this season.  The Falcons have won 61 straight against Northeast Region teams.