January 12, 2008

LE MOYNE FALLS JUST SHORT IN ATTEMPT TO KNOCK OFF #1 BENTLEY

Story assistance by Bentley Athletic Communications
WALTHAM, Mass. - The Le Moyne College men's basketball team pushed the #1 team in the country to the limit, but fell to Bentley 78-74 in overtime. The Falcons remain undefeated at 14-0, 9-0 as the Dolphins fall to 8-8, 6-5 in the Northeast-10 Conference.

Sophomore Laurence Ekperigin registered a career-high 29 points, scoring 11-18 from the floor and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. Ekperigin also pulled down 10 rebounds for his 4th double-double of the season.

With the Dolphins up 68-65 in the final minute of play, Bentley's Jason Westrol stepped in front of a Dolphin pass for the interception and took it to the hole. He made the basket, was fouled in the process, and completed the three-point play with a free throw with :38.7 on the clock. Westrol's three-point play in the final minute would push the game to overtime.

Bentley senior Nate Fritsch sank what proved to be the winning basket, a nine-foot fall-away with 1:24 to play in the extra session to put the Falcons ahead for good. When put to the line in the final minutes, Bentley would convert on free-throws to earn the three point victory.

Five Bentley players scored in double figures, led by Westrol's 15 points. For the Dolphins, Jason Holmes chipped in with 14 points and four assists. Freshman Kevin Roth recorded double figures in points for the sixth time this season with 10 points off the bench.

Le Moyne returns to Ted Grant Court on Wednesday, January 16th to face Franklin Pierce at 7:30 PM

Bentley 78  Le Moyne 74 OT 

LE MOYNE (8-8, 6-5 NE-10)
Laurence Ekperigin 11-18 7-7 29; Jason Holmes 5-13 2-2 14; Kevin Roth 4-10 1-2 10; Dan Cromwell 4-7 0-0 8; Matt Vassil 2-6 1-2 7; Damani Corbin 2-7 0-0 4; Mark Covin 1-2 0-0 2; Phil Barnes 0-0 0-0 0; Jonathan Joshua 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-64 11-13 74.

BENTLEY (14-0, 9-0 NE-10)
Jason Westrol 7-11 1-1 15; Nate Fritsch 4-9 6-6 14; Yusuf Abdul-Ali 4-11 3-3 12; Tom Dowling 3-6 2-2 10; Lew Finnegan 2-13 5-6 10; Mike Quinn 3-8 0-1 9; Michael Sikonski 4-6 0-0 8; Brian Tracey 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-66 17-19 78.

Halftime: 39-36. Regulation: 68-68. 3-point goals--L 5-16 (Vassil 2-5; Holmes 2-6; Roth 1-2; Covin 0-1; Joshua 0-1; Corbin 0-1), B 7-25 (Quinn 3-8; Dowling 2-3; Finnegan 1-5; Abdul-Ali 1-7; Westrol 0-2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds—L 43 (Ekperigin 10), B 35 (Fritsch 9). Assists--L 17 (Covin 6), B 11 (Finnegan 4). Total fouls--L 17, B 14. Technical fouls--None.