March 1, 2008
DOLPHINS DROP HAWKS IN FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF ACTION, 75-70, BEHIND CROMWELL'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Le Moyne College men's basketball team knocked off St. Anselm for the third time this season, 75-70, in Northeast-10 Conference first round playoff action at Ted Grant Court. The Dolphins (15-13, 12-10 NE-10) will travel to Waltham, Mass. on Monday to square off with the nation's No. 1 team, Bentley College. Dan Cromwell's 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks paced Le Moyne. The Hawks (13-14, 11-11 NE-10) were led by Thomas Baudinet's 26 points and eight three-pointers.
Le Moyne raced to an eight-point lead in the first half behind a stretch that saw Cromwell knock down four consecutive jumpers. Baudinet kept the Hawks in it by converting 4-of-5 three-point attempts and pouring in 14 points in the first half.
The Hawks led midway through the second half but Le Moyne reclaimed the lead for good at the 7:46 mark of the second half. Jason Holmes caught fire down the stretch, pouring in 10 points in the game's final eight minutes. Stellar defense, including a collection of blocks from Cromwell, preserved the Dolphin lead in the final minutes.
Three other Dolphins joined Cromwell in double-figures. Jonathan Joshua netted 18 points and collected seven rebounds, Holmes finished with 14 points and dished out eight assists and Laurence Ekperigin added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Branimir Zeko finished with a double-double for the Hawks with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Vetrano, who knocked down eight trifectas when the Hawks pushed the Dolphins to overtime Feb. 16, finished with 10 points.
Le Moyne travels to face Northeast-10 Conference top-seed Bentley in Monday's second round action. The Falcons are riding a 54-game regular season win streak that stretches the past two seasons but the Dolphins pushed the nation's No. 1 team to overtime in a 78-74 loss on Jan. 12. Monday's tip is set for 7 p.m.
SAINT ANSELM (13-14, 11-11NE10)
Thomas Baudinet 9-15 0-0 26; Branimir Zeko 5-12 4-5 14; Chris
Vetrano 3-13
2-2 10; Junior Mitchell 2-2 0-0 5; Giovanni Carenza 2-5 1-2 5;
Lewis
Thompson 2-5 0-0 4; Greg Vetrano 1-2 1-2 4; John Tello 1-8 0-0 2;
John
Mariano 0-0 0-0 0; Jeff Dickson 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 25-67 8-11
70.
LE MOYNE (15-13, 12-10NE10)
Dan Cromwell 8-12 5-7 21; Jonathan Joshua 5-11 5-5 18; Jason Holmes
7-17 0-2
14; Laurence Ekperigin 4-9 4-7 12; Matt Vassil 2-2 0-0 6; Damani
Corbin 2-5
0-0 4; Kevin Roth 0-1 0-0 0; Mark Covin 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 28-57
14-22 75.
Saint Anselm.................. 33 37 - 70
Le Moyne...................... 33 42 - 75
3-point goals--Saint Anselm 12-30 (Thomas Baudinet 8-11; Chris
Vetrano 2-8;
Greg Vetrano 1-2; Junior Mitchell 1-1; John Tello 0-4; Jeff Dickson
0-1;
Giovanni Carenza 0-2; Branimir Zeko 0-1), Le Moyne 5-12 (Jonathan
Joshua
3-7; Matt Vassil 2-2; Jason Holmes 0-3). Fouled out--Saint
Anselm-None, Le
Moyne-None. Rebounds--Saint Anselm 37 (Branimir Zeko 11), Le Moyne
43 (Dan
Cromwell 10). Assists--Saint Anselm 17 (Chris Vetrano 7), Le Moyne
16 (Jason
Holmes 8). Total fouls--Saint Anselm 17, Le Moyne 12. Technical
fouls--Saint
Anselm-None, Le Moyne-TEAM. A-339
