FOUR PLAYERS REACH DOUBLE FIGURES AS MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS AT NYIT, 87-74

Box Score vs. NYIT - February 6, 2010

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Feb. 6, 2010) – Four players on the Molloy College men’s basketball squad had double-digit scoring performances on Saturday afternoon, but it was not enough as the Lions fell by an 87-74 decision to the Bears of the New York Institute of Technology at Recreation Hall in Old Westbury, N.Y. Junior forward Brian Hutchinson (Elmont, N.Y.) led the way for Molloy with 20 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds. With the loss, the Lions dropped to 10-13 overall and 8-7 versus East Coast Conference opposition.

The Bears (11-11, 8-7 ECC) opened up the contest with a 7-2 streak in a span of 1:45. Junior guard Daniel Berg (Baerum, Norway) accounted for all of the scoring off of a pair of lay-ups and a three. Later on, NYIT was ahead by five (15-10) with under 13 minutes to go. The hosts then proceeded to tally five straight points to extend their lead to 20-10 at the 12:25 mark. Senior forward Benny Flores (Stockton, Calif.) put up a lay-up and drained a trey in the spurt. Berg posted 12 points and seven boards on the day, while Flores had five points.

Two minutes later, NYIT was ahead 25-16 with just over 10 minutes remaining. It then rattled off a 10-2 burst in a time of 2:03 to get a 35-18 advantage with 8:09 left. Freshman guard Dominic Scurry (Ozone Park, N.Y.) raked the first four points on a dunk and two free throws. Junior guard Carl Kindborg (Stockholm, Sweden) buried a pair of makes from beyond the arc. Molloy answered right back though with a 9-1 spurt to cut the deficit to nine with 5:34 to go. Hutchinson was responsible for five of the points in the streak.

It turned out to be a half of runs that went back and forth. The Bears eventually went into the intermission up by a 48-36 count. Down 55-41 with 5:35 elapsed in the second period, the Lions began to claw back with an 8-2 burst during a two-minute stretch to bring the shortfall down to 57-49 at the 12:08 juncture. Senior guard Carl Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) netted a trifecta and a jay in the spurt. However, that proved to be the closest Molloy got as NYIT sported a lead as large as 15 toward the end of the contest.

Senior guard Girard Fitts (Uniondale, N.Y.) recorded 19 points, five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore guard Edward Freeman (Washington, D.C.) compiled 11 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Senior guard Harley Fuller (Gloversville, N.Y.) notched 10 points, six boards, two assists and two steals. Red-shirt freshman guard Kevin Walsh (West Hempstead, N.Y.) and Palmer added seven points apiece for the Lions. As for the Bears, senior guard Anthony Clarke (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) scored a game-best 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Head Coach Charles Marquardt and his squad return to action this Wednesday when Molloy kicks off a three-game homestand against ECC foe Queens College. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. If you are unable to make it, you can follow all of the progress via Live Stats or by checking out our new broadcast feed.