Bridgeport Tops Men's Basketball, 84-75
Box Score
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Dec. 2, 2009) – Senior guard Nemanja Jokic (Bronx, N.Y.) registered a double-double for C.W. Post, but the men's basketball team lost their East Coast Conference opener to the Bridgeport Purple Knights, 84-75, on Wednesday night at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium.
With the loss, the Pioneers slip to 0-2 on the season and 0-1 in conference action, while Bridgeport improves to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in ECC play.
Bridgeport jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first 45 seconds of play, but the Pioneers rebounded quickly to take a 6-5 lead at 17:24 following Aaron Hall's (Syracuse, N.Y.) lay-up off a Jokic pass.
C.W. Post quickly doubled up the Purple Knights, taking a 16-8 lead at 13:45 after Chris Manning's (Baldwin, N.Y.) lay-in.
However, Bridgeport clawed back to tie the game at 22-22 with 8:01 remaining in the first half as Steve Martin hit a trey, and the Purple Knights took a 24-22 lead on Martin's layup at 7:37.
Bridgeport maintained a lead until the 3:16 mark when Jokic swished a three to give the Pioneers a 28-27 edge. C.W. Post pushed the lead to as many as six points, 37-31 with 35 seconds remaining, and headed into halftime with a 37-33 edge.
Both teams came charging out of the halftime break as Bridgeport scored seven straight points to take the lead, 39-37 at 18:14. But C.W. Post surged ahead yet again, extending the lead to six points, 46-40, after a layup by Manning at 15:12. The Pioneers maintained the lead until 10:48, when Bridgeport tied the game for the fourth time, at 51-51 after Tim Cokley's layup.
The Pioneers responded yet again with a 7-1 run that gave them a 58-52 lead at 9:02, capped by two free throws from Hall. But Bridgeport quickly cut the lead to one with five straight points from Martin. UB tied the game at 7:56, and pulled ahead, 60-59 after Lee Frazier's free throw at 7:38.
The Pioneers remained right in the game, matching Bridgeport basket for basket and staying within three points, but with under four minutes remaining in the game, the Purple Knights pushed out to a 68-63 lead, and led by nine points at 2:17, 76-67. C.W. Post pulled to within five points, 78-73, with 46 seconds remaining following two free throws from Jokic, but Bridgeport sealed the win with two free throws from Washington, a layup by Boykin, and two more free throws from Lee.
Jokic led C.W. Post with 18 points and 11 boards, shooting 7-18 from the field. Hall added 15 points, and Billy Butler (Elmont, N.Y.) chipped in with 11 points.
Bridgeport's Martin led all scorers with 22 points, while Boykin added 20, Washington chipped in with 18, and Washington scored 11 points. Cokley pulled down 12 boards for the Purple Knights.
The Pioneers shot 40% from the field (26-65), but were hurt in the second half by a 1-13 showing from three-point range.
Head coach Tim Cluess and the Pioneers look to rebound against Mercy College on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 3:30. Fans are encouraged to wear green to the game to support the basketball teams in their doubleheader against Mercy.