MEN’S BASKETBALL SNAPS FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK AT BRIDGEPORT, 97-74

Box Score vs. Bridgeport - February 7, 2009

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Feb. 7, 2009) – Sophomore forward Brian Hutchinson (Elmont, N.Y.) registered a team-leading 19 points with nine boards, but it was not enough as the Molloy College men’s basketball squad had its four-game winning string stopped by the University of Bridgeport, 97-74, at Hubbell Gym on Saturday afternoon in Bridgeport, Conn. He was 7-for-12 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the foul line as the Lions dropped to 7-14 overall and 6-6 against East Coast Conference opposition.

Leading 16-13 with less than 14 minutes to go in the opening half, the Purple Knights (15-6, 9-3 ECC) went on a 9-0 run during a span of 1:39 to move ahead by 12 points with 12:03 left. Junior guard Lee Frazier (Millville, N.J.) kicked off and capped off the streak with a lay-up. Junior guard Steve Martin (Philadelphia, Pa.) added a three-pointer from the wing.

The Lions scored the next four points with a jumper by freshman forward Matt Wafula (Harlem, N.Y.) and a lay-up by junior forward Girard Fitts (Uniondale, N.Y.) to cut the shortfall to eight. But, UB put an 8-0 run together as an answer to grab hold of a 33-17 advantage with 9:19 remaining. Frazier and senior forward Samuel Getaweh (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) each slammed home a dunk.

MC followed up with a 13-2 burst in a three-minute stretch to get within five (35-30). Hutchinson had six of the points in the streak. Fitts drilled a trifecta. Junior guard Michael Johnson (Jamaica, N.Y.) and freshman guard Chris Manning (Queens, N.Y.) each added a lay-up. Then, Bridgeport sported a short 7-0 spurt to put the lead back at a margin of 12. Martin began it by netting one of two from the line and capped off the run with a lay-up. Eventually, the Purple Knights went into the break up 49-39.

The first five-plus minutes of the latter stanza saw a lot of back-and-forth action. Trailing 60-50 with over 14 minutes to go, the Lions raked a quick six points to bring the deficit down to four. Hutchinson opened things up with two free throws. Johnson continued with a lay-up. Junior forward Ian Thomas-Minor (Brooklyn, N.Y.) wrapped it up with a deuce off a defensive board by Fitts.

However, Bridgeport notched a 6-0 spurt in a 52-second period to own a 66-56 lead with 11:10 left. Senior guard/forward Teairez Stennis (St. Louis, Mo.) started and finished off the streak with a lay-up. Frazier netted a pair of free ones in the middle of it all. Later on, the Purple Knights put the game to bed with a 14-0 run to go ahead by a 91-66 lead at that juncture with 3:40 remaining. Stennis and sophomore guard Jermaine Washington (Philadelphia, Pa.) each knocked down a three-ball.

For the game, the Lions shot 38.7 percent (29-for-75) from the floor, 6-for-15 (40.0 percent) from downtown and 50.0 percent (10-for-20) from the foul line. Junior guard Carl Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) finished with 16 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Johnson contributed 11 points. Fitts totaled seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Manning and freshman forward Dariel Concha (Valley Stream, N.Y.) tallied seven points apiece.

Manning also had 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Thomas-Minor and Wafula recorded four points and four rebounds each. Freshman forward Sean Hehir (Massapequa, N.Y.) checked in with two points and one rebound. Freshman guard T.J. Gessner (Mineola, N.Y.) registered one point and one rebound.

The Purple Knights were 35-of-61 (57.4 percent) from the field, 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) from downtown and 17-of-25 (68.0 percent) from the foul line. Stennis recorded a double-double with a game-high 23 points and 20 rebounds. Frazier tallied 18 points (5-8 FG, 8-8 FT). Washington earned 16 points, five assists and one steal. Sophomore guard Dave Boykin (White Plains, N.Y.) raked in 13 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.

Junior forward Demetrious Phillips (Baltimore, Md.) posted 10 points, four blocks and one assist. Martin accumulated 11 assists, eight points, five rebounds and three steals. Getaweh picked up six points, two assists, one block and one steal.

Head Coach Charlie Marquardt and his squad return to the court this Wednesday when Molloy kicks off a two-game homestand at Quealy Gymnasium against New York Institute of Technology. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. If you are unable to make it, you can follow all of the progress via Live Stats at http://livestats.prestosports.com/molloy or through a video stream at http://www.eccsports.tv.