FITTS TOTALS 21 POINTS AS MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT DOWLING, 80-56

Box Score vs. Dowling - February 18, 2009

OAKDALE, N.Y. (Feb. 18, 2009) – Junior forward Girard Fitts (Uniondale, N.Y.) registered a game-high 21 points on Wednesday evening, but it was not enough as the Molloy College men’s basketball team lost its fourth-consecutive game to Dowling College, 80-56, at Dowling Gymnasium in Oakdale, N.Y. Fitts also brought down four rebounds and swiped three steals for the Lions, who went to 7-17 overall and 6-9 against East Coast Conference opposition.

The Golden Lions (11-13, 9-6 ECC) opened up the contest with a 15-2 run over a five-minute stretch. Senior guard Leonard Lans (Spring Valley, N.Y.) tallied the first five points on a pair of free throws and a three-point play. Junior forward Alioune Ndiaye (Senegal) followed with the next four points off of a jumper and lay-up. Four points were also contributed by sophomore guard Keith Nandin (Queens, N.Y.) in the effort.

Molloy responded with a 7-1 spurt in a time of 3:05 to cut the deficit to 16-10 with 10:47 remaining. Freshman guard Chris Manning (Queens, N.Y.) began it with the first four points off a lay-up and a jumper. Freshman forward Matt Wafula (Harlem, N.Y.) continued with a jay. Fitts finished off the run with a quick deuce.

Shortly thereafter, Dowling was ahead 26-15 with less than six minutes left. The Golden Lions then recorded six straight points off of two three-pointers by junior forward Josh Lowe (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and Nandin to go up 17 with 4:14 to go. Eventually, DC held a 43-22 advantage at the break following another three-ball and a clock-expiring lay-up by Lowe.

Leading 47-27 with 17-plus minutes remaining in the second half, the Golden Lions sported a 9-0 burst during a period of 1:16 to grab hold of a 56-27 advantage with 15:59 left. Lans began it with five straight points on a lay-up and a three-point play. Junior guard David Seagers (Bronx, N.Y.) followed and freshman guard John Merchant (Monticello, N.Y.) wrapped it up with a lay-up, respectively.

Two minutes later, the Lions drew up a 7-0 streak after being down 60-34 with just under 13 minutes to go. The run diminished the Dowling lead to 60-41 with 10:59 remaining. Junior guard Carl Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) sparked it with five points in a row off of a trifecta from the wing and a jay. Manning ended it with a lay-up on the fast break.

Later on, the Golden Lions led 66-45 with six and a half minutes left. They then put any chance of a Molloy comeback behind them with a 7-0 spurt of their own over a 56-second span to take a 73-45 lead with 5:38 to go. Lowe set it off once again with one of his four three-pointers on the evening. Lans capped off the burst with two makes from the line and a lay-up.

Aside from Fitts, the Lions were headed up by Palmer, who collected 15 points and five rebounds. Manning raked in 12 points, six assists, six steals and three rebounds. Junior forward Ian Thomas-Minor (Brooklyn, N.Y.) totaled seven rebounds, two points, two assists and two steals. Sophomore forward Brian Hutchinson (Elmont, N.Y.) posted four points, four rebounds and one block. Wafula notched two points and two rebounds.

Lowe anchored Dowling with a game-best 22 points. He also crashed the glass for eight rebounds. Lans earned 19 points (5-8 FG, 9-10 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. Ndiaye had 13 points, five blocks, two rebounds and one steal. Nandin accumulated nine points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Merchant added nine points, three assists and one steal. Seagers totaled six points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal.

Head Coach Charlie Marquardt and his squad return to action this Saturday when Molloy travels to Brookville, N.Y. to take on C.W. Post, which was ranked second in the recent National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II poll. Tip-off is slated for 3:30 p.m.