Basketball

Nor'easters Blow Emerson Out of ECAC Tourney 104-99 in OT

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. (3/5/08) - Johnnie Jefferson scored 43 points including 10 in overtime as eighth seeded University of New England (16-11) upset top seeded Emerson College (24-5) 104-99 in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference New England Division III Tournament. The win by the Nor'easters capped off a night of upsets as second seeded Emmanuel College and fourth seeded Fitchburg State College each were eliminated on their home floor.

Following a close initial 10 minutes which saw three ties and seven lead changes, Emerson went out to a 34-22 lead. A 12-0 run for UNE erased the deficit over the next 6:30 as two free throws from Isaac Stickney tied the game with 3:32 remaining. Emerson immediately ran the lead back to six on back to back trifectas by Tom Messinger (Fr., Florence, Mass.) and Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass., above left), and went into halftime with a 43-39 advantage.

Emerson pulled out to a 50-39 margin to begin the second half and for the next four minutes UNE could pull no closer than six. The Lions ran the lead back to 10 on four different occasions, the last being a 69-59 advantage following two free throws by Dawkins.

A 10-0 run, with seven points coming from Jefferson, tied the game at 69 with 6:39 remaining. The Lions responded again with a 7-2 run taking a 76-71 lead with an even five minutes on the clock. Layups by Chas Rentrope and Franco Foti brought the Nor'easters to within 76-75. A Dawkins free throw gave the Lions a two point lead, but Jefferson made a traditional three point play to give UNE a 78-77 advantage. A Stickney free throw followed by a Jefferson three ball gave UNE an 82-77 lead with 1:29 left in regulation.

Messenger hit a three at the 1:08 mark to pull Emerson to within two, but a Jaykyri Simpson layup gave UNE an 84-80 lead at 39 seconds. Dawkins nailed a three ball to pull the Lions within a point. Rentrope hit two free throws at 23 seconds for an 86-83 lead, but Dawkins came back and after a Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) rebound of Dawkins' missed three, buried a 25 foot shot with seven seconds left to force the extra period.

Emerson got the tip to begin the extra session, but turned the ball over. Jefferson hit a layup to give the Nor'easters the lead for good only 13 seconds into the overtime.

In addition to Jefferson, Stickney with 16 and Rentrope and Foti with 12 each were in double figures for UNE. Dawkins ended his career with a 33 point, seven rebound effort for the Lions. Shannon finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) had 17 for the Lions.

First time is a Charm as Lasell Defeats Lions for GNAC Title, 86-72

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. (3/1/08) - Second seeded Lasell College (20-8) rode the scoring and rebounding of Tournament MVP Jose Guitian (Jr., Miami, Fla.) to take the Great Northeast Athletic Conference title with an 86-72 victory over top seeded Emerson College (24-4).  Guitian scored 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting, including 3 of 5 from three point range, and he pulled in 11 rebounds.

Lasell, in its first year in the Conference, took a 42-32 halftime lead following an 8-0 run over the final five minutes of the half.  The 10 point bulge was the largest of the half for either team.

Emerson rallied in the first five minutes of the second half, outscoring the Lasers 17-5 taking the lead on a Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) jumper with 13:46 remaining.  Lasell responded immediately with a three ball from Guitian, then scored the game's next 13 points to take a 62-49 lead.

The Lions fought back to within four points with 1:14 remaining on a Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) free throw, but Dawkins missed the second free throw and although Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass., above left) got the rebound, he missed the ensuing layup with Guitian rebounding.  A trifecta from Brad Caravoulias (Jr., Dracut, Mass.) put the final nail in the Lions' coffin with 1:01 remaining.  It was Caravoulias' sixth three-pointer of the afternoon.

Shannon led all scorers with 26 points.  Chase and Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) each had 14 for Emerson.

In addition to Guitian, Lasell had two other 20 point scorers, Caravoulias dropped in 21, and Jamie Crawford (Sr., Coral Springs, Fla.) pitched in 20.  Crawford also added 12 rebounds.

With the win, Lasell earns the GNAC's Automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.  Emerson is in the running for an at large bid.  The Tournament field will be announced at noon Monday.

EMERSON TIPS MONKS 79-75 TO ADVANCE TO GNAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. (2/28/08) - Emerson College (24-3) rode the 28 point, eight rebound performance of Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) to a 79-75 win over St. Joseph's College (14-13) in the semi-finals of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. The win sends the top seeded Lions to the Championship Game for the third time in four years where they will host second seeded Lasell College at 1:00pm on Saturday, March 1.

The game was close throughout with Emerson opening up the largest lead with an 11-1 run breaking a 23-23 first half tie. St. Joe's was able to pull within 38-34 at the half. The first half featured three ties and nine lead changes.

Emerson held the lead for the first six minutes of the second half until a jump shot by Elbie Murphy knotted the score at 49. After Emerson took a four point lead following a layup by Rouse, Murphy answered with a layup of his own, and Alberto Rue nailed a three-ball to give the Monks a 56-55 lead with 10:53 remaining. Two free throws from GNAC Player of the Year Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) briefly gave Emerson the lead, but another trifecta from Rue put the Monks up 59-57.

Shannon drilled two free throws to tie the score at 59 at the 9:27 mark, and Tom Messinger (Fr., Florence, Mass.) nailed a three to give the Lions a 62-59 advantage. A second consecutive three point shot from Messinger put the Lions up by six. St. Joe's pulled back to within three points on three different occasions, but a three pointer by Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) moved the lead to 79-72 with 12 seconds left and sealed the victory.

In addition to Rouse, Shannon with 18 and Messinger with 14 were in double figures for the Lions. Dawkins had eight assists.

Five Monks were in double figures led by Murphy and Rue with 14. Scott Vachon scored a dozen, while Eric Friend and Raymond Eatmon each had 10.

Dawkins Leads Emerson To GNAC Semi-Finals with 93-70 Victory

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. - Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) scored 24 points, had nine rebounds, and dished our six assists to lead top seeded Emerson College (23-3) to a 93-70 victory over number eight seed Daniel Webster College (8-18) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference first round game. Dawkins, who became the GNAC's all-time championship tournament scoring leader with 151 points, led five Lions in double figures in the balanced effort.

Emerson never trailed in the game but the Eagles remained close for the first 14 minutes. Emerson led 31-24 with 8:30 left in the first half, but Daniel Webster pulled to within a basket at 36-34 on a layup by Steve Savage. From that point on it was all Emerson as the Lions went on a 16-0 run and ended the half with a 20-4 blitz.

The Lions continued to pull away in the second half as the lead swelled to 84-51 with nearly eleven minutes remaining in the game. A three point shot by Chris Hansen narrowed the Emerson margin to 18 with 4:03 left, but that was as close as the Eagles would come.

In addition to Dawkins, Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) had 16 points and eight boards, Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) had 15 points, and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) and Tom Messenger (Fr., Florence, Mass.) each had a dozen points. Brian Inge led the Eagles with 14, with Hansen and Adam Landry adding 11.

Emerson advances to the Semi-final round on Thursday evening when the Lions will host fifth seeded St. Joseph's College at 7:00pm. St Joe's defeated fourth seed Johnson & Wales University 71-68 in Providence. Daniel Webster was playing its final game in the GNAC. The Eagles will be switching to the New England Collegiate Conference at the conclusion of the academic year.

EMERSON CAPTURES GNAC REGULAR SEASON CROWN WITH 74-48 WIN OVER NORWICH

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. (2/23/08) - Emerson College (22-3, 15-3 GNAC) captured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference regular season title with a 74-48 victory over Norwich University (12-12, 8-10 GNAC). The Emerson win, coupled with St. Joseph's College 69-68 defeat of Emmanuel College gave the Lions sole possession of the title.

Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) and Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) combined for 38 points in the victory, and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) added 12 with six assists.

Emerson raced out to a 40-21 halftime lead. After falling behind 3-2, the Lions went on a 27-5 run to take their biggest lead of the half with 8:15 remaining. Norwich was able to pull to within 17 on three occasions, but that was as close as the Cadets would get.

Emerson put the game away by scoring 15 of the first 16 points of the second half. The lead swelled to 65-29 with 8:15 left in the second half.

Derrick Montiero led Norwich with 12 points.

The game marked the final regular season home game for Emerson College seniors Joe Boylan (Royal Oak, Mich.) Chase, Will Dawkins (Springfield, Mass.), and Rhys Thieriot (San Francisco, Calif.).

Emerson with the first seed in the GNAC Playoffs will host Daniel Webster College in a first round game Tuesday night at 7:00pm.

Lions Gain Share of GNAC Top Spot With 82-79 Victory Over Emmanuel

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. (2/19/08) - Emerson College (21-3, 14-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) got clutch free throw shooting from Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I., left) and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) as the Lions rallied to defeat Emmanuel College (16-8, 14-3 GNAC) 82-79. The victory for Emerson moves the Lions into a first place tie with Emmanuel in the GNAC.

Rouse was six for six from the charity stripe in the last 1:45 and also hit a jumper to power the Lions who had rallied from a 63-53 deficit halfway through the second half.

Emerson controlled most of the first half action, twice holding 12 point leads. Emmanuel closed the half on a 17-6 run to pull even at 41 on a layup by Levi Smith in the final seconds.

Rouse opened the second half scoring with a jump shot, but Emmanuel’s Mack Spellman nailed a three to give the Saints a 44-43 lead. Shannon tied the game with a free throw, but the Saints scored the next 11 points to take a 55-44 lead. The teams traded baskets until a jumper by Smith gave Emmanuel a 63-53 lead with 10:00 remaining. Tom Messenger (Fr., Florence, Mass.) started the Lion comeback with a three pointer, and a Shannon free throw cut the lead to six. Emerson’s Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) canned a layup to reduce the margin to four, but a Mike Jackson (So., New York, N.Y.) jump shot extended the advantage to 65-59.

Emerson scored the next six points to tie the game on two free throws each from Rouse and Shannon and a Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) jump shot. The teams traded the lead six times and forged three ties over the next four and a half minutes. Two Rouse free throws gave Emerson a 77-75 lead with 1:03 left for a lead the Lions would not relinquish. Spellman, who nailed a three in the final seconds at Johnson & Wales on Saturday to give the Saints a win, rimmed out a three pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime.

Rouse and Shannon led the Lions with 20 points each with Rouse being 10 for 10 from the charity stripe. Chase had 12 and Dawkins 13.

Spellman and Rob Williams-Hinton shared game scoring honors with 22 each. Smith added 18 for the Saints.

Emerson will face Norwich Saturday, February 23 at 1:00 in the regular season finale. Should the Lions win, they will earn the top seed and home court advantage in the GNAC Championship tournament that begins on February 26.

EMERSON SURVIVES RAIDER SCARE IN OT THRILLER, 72-70

NASHUA, N.H. (2/16/08) - Rivier College's (11-11, 8-7 Great Northeast Athletic Conference), Jeff Carpenter missed the first of a two shot foul with no time remaining in overtime to give Emerson College (20-3, 13-3 GNAC) a 72-70 victory in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest. The victory for Emerson sets up a first-place showdown with Emmanuel College on Tuesday night.

Emerson, playing without second leading scorer and rebounder Will Dawkins who was out with the flu, rallied from an 11 point deficit after Rivier's Kevin Harrington hit a three-point shot with 16:18 remaining in the contest. The Lions scored 16 of the next 18 points to take a 50-47 lead, but Harrington hit another trifecta to pull the Raiders even with 9:48 left. Emerson was able to take a 55-54 lead with at the 5:08 mark on a three-ball from Tommy Messinger (Fr., Florence, Mass.). The Lions increased the lead to 59-55 on a Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) layup, but a 10-1 run for Rivier saw the Lions down 65-60 with 1:13 remaining in regulation.

Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) started the rally with a deep three-pointer at 1:02, and after Rivier's Lance Bisson missed two free throws with 10 seconds left, Emerson's Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) drove the length of the floor and hit a layup to tie the game with three ticks on the clock. Bisson missed a jumper at the buzzer to send the game to the extra period.

The first half was close throughout with five ties and a dozen lead changes. Rivier's 37-30 halftime advantage was the largest lead of the half.

Chase led Emerson in scoring with 18 points. Shannon had 17, Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) had 14, and Rouse chipped in 12.

Emerson will host Emmanuel College on Tuesday evening at 7:00pm with first place in the GNAC on the line.

MOUNT IDA MEN'S BASKETBALL HANGS TOUGH WITH CONFERENCE #2 SEED EMERSON COLLEGE BUT DROPS 88-70

From Mount Ida College Sports Information 2/12/08

Newton Center, Mass. - The Mount Ida College Men's Basketball team hosted Emerson College this Tuesday night dropping a tough 88-70 loss. The Mustangs dropped to 7-15 overall and 4-11 in league competition while the Lions move to 19-3 overall and 12-3 in the GNAC.

In a game that had only one lead change and 44 fouls committed, Mount Ida started the first half with a 6-2 run that was led by junior center Otis Thompson who had all of his eight points in the first stanza. A three pointer by junior guard Michael Dunham would cut the lead to 16-13. Dunham would leave the game and would not return with what appeared to be a knee injury. Emerson would keep on cruising and would end the half with a three pointer by visiting Anthony Remias (Jr., Cranberry Township, PA/N. Catholic) to make it 48-32 in favor of the Lions.

The Lions would continue their hot shooting from beyond the arc and ending the game by making 40 percent from downtown. Although the Mustangs would not let up, the visitors would pull ahead by a game high 21 points with 13:36 remaining and would never look back.

The Mustangs would be led by junior forward Matt Bennett netted a team high 12 points and five rebounds, he was the only MIC player in double figures.

Emerson was led by three players in double figures including a game high 23 points from sophomore Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.). Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) would combine for 35 points and eight boards.

The Lions next game is at Rivier College on Saturday, February 16 at 1:00pm.

Lions Down Suffolk in Neighborhood Battle, 83-66

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. (2/9/08) – Emerson College (18-3, 11-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) started the game with a 19-4 run and never looked back as the Lions defeated Suffolk University (2-19, 1-13) 83-66 on Emerson’s first Alumni Day.

Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass., left) scored 21 points and Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) added 20 to lead the Lions, while Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) had 16. Chase and Rouse each also added seven rebounds.

Emerson ran the lead to 16 points at the end of the first half holding a 44-28 advantage. The lead increased to 67-36 on a three-point shot from Chase with 8:51 remaining. The Rams were never able to get any closer than the final margin.

Mario Massimino led the Rams with 15 points. Mike Fleming and Kevin Blake were also in double figures with 14 and 12 points respectively.

Emerson travels to Mount Ida on Tuesday night at 6:00pm for a GNAC contest, while Suffolk travels to Rivier College for a 7:00pm tip.

EMERSON COLLEGE SURVIVES SCARE FROM ALBERTUS 88-79

Game Boxscore
Emerson College (17-3, 10-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) roared out to a 47-28 halftime lead only to see the margin dwindle to three points with under twelve minutes remaining, but the Lions held on to defeat Albertus Magnus (1-19, 1-12 GNAC) 88-79.

Two free throws by Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I., left) topped off Emerson's largest lead at 23 points with 6:31 remaining in the first half. a 13-2 run by the Falcons cut the lead to 12, but Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) buried a three-ball and then hit a jumper to halt the skid.

A Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) layup on the first possession of the second half moved the lead to 21, but a 28-10 run by Albertus Magnus made it a three point game with 11:49 remaining. The Falcons had a chance to tie, but Bobby Leonzo missed a three-point shot and Shannon hit a jumper and a Chase layup gave Emerson a 63-56 lead. The Falcons' Francisco Cordova connected on a traditional three-point play to make the score 63-59, but Rouse connected on two free throws and a jumper to move the lead to eight with 7:40 remaining. The Falcons could come no closer than seven points the remainder of the contest.

Rouse led Emerson with 26 points and nine rebounds. Chase had 20 points, with Joe Boylan chipping in 15. Emerson played without second leading scorer Will Dawkins, who is nursing an ankle injury.

The Falcons were led by Francisco Cordova's game high 27 points.

Emerson will host Suffolk University Saturday afternoon February 9 at 2:00pm.

JWU Men’s Basketball Falls To Emerson, 63-61

from Johnson & Wales University Sports Information (2/5/08)

Game Boxscore

Providence, R.I. – Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass., left) scored 21 points and added six rebounds and four steals to lead Emerson to a 63-61 victory against Johnson & Wales in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest at the Harborside Recreation Center on Tuesday evening.

Senior Greg Samuels had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way for Johnson & Wales. Senior Tirone McCray added 14 points and seven rebounds while fellow senior Charlie Ware narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine boards in the setback for the Wildcats.

Emerson Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) scored 14 points and added five rebounds and five assists while Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) added 12 points and eight boards in the victory for the Lions.

Johnson & Wales jumped out to an early lead and held a 28-16 advantage after a jumper by McCray with 6:25 left in the first half. Emerson responded, however and used a 12-4 run to close out the half and make the score 32-28 heading into the locker room at halftime. JWU out-rebounded Emerson by a 25-11 margin and had 16 second chance points. The visiting Lions were able to force 14 JWU turnovers.

Emerson continued its strong play early in the second half and took their first lead since early in the first half when a free throw by Rouse gave the Lions a 33-32 lead with 18:17 remaining. The two teams then traded baskets with the score tied 45-45 with 10:04 left on the clock. Emerson then used a 10-2 run, capped by a layup by Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) to take a 55-47 lead with 6:38 remaining. The Lions led by as many as nine points (60-51) down the stretch before JWU went on a 10-3 run to cut the lead to 63-61 on a layup by McCray with three seconds left. The Wildcats went for the steal on the inbounds pass, however Emerson successfully pushed the ball up court to seal the 63-61 victory.

With the loss, JWU is now 13-7 overall and 10-4 in the GNAC while Emerson improves to 16-3 on the season and 9-3 in league play. Emerson next plays at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Conn. on Thursday at 7:00pm.

Lions Return to Winning Ways, Defeat St. Joseph's 80-70

Game Boxscore
Boston, Mass. (2/2/08) – Emerson (15-3, 8-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) got 20 points from both Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) to defeat St. Joseph's College (9-9, 7-4 GNAC) 80-70 in a battle for third place in the GNAC standings.

Following a see-saw first 12 minutes that saw five ties and seven lead changes, Emerson took the lead for good on a Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) layup. Emerson gradually increased the lead throughout the remainder of the half, peaking at 42-30 with just over a minute left. A free throw shot by Elbie Murphy and a jumper by Chris Davis made the halftime score 42-33.

Three times in the first seven minutes of the second half St. Joe’s cut the lead to five points, but a three point shot by Dawkins triggered a 19-6 run for the Lions to give Emerson a 69-51 lead with 5:53 remaining. The margin reached 19 points following a traditional three point play by Shannon with 2:10 left, and St. Joseph’s scored 11 of the game’s final 13 points for the final margin.

In addition to Dawkins and Shannon who had a double-double with 13 rebounds, Jon Showers (Fr., York, Pa.) with 11 and Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) with 10 were also in double figures for the Lions.

Murphy had 20 points for St. Joe’s, while Mitch Ouellet had 13, and Davis scored a dozen.

Emerson next plays Tuesday, February 5 at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. at 7:00pm.

Wildcat Second Half Downs Emerson, 80-75

Game Boxscore
Boston, Mass. (1/31/08) – Emerson College (14-3, 7-3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) roared out to an 18 point halftime lead only to see Johnson and Wales (13-5, 10-2 GNAC) score the first 16 points of the second half and complete a 25-4 run to take the lead, as the Wildcats pulled out an 80-75 victory.

Emerson, the top field goal shooting percentage team in the NCAA, was held to 21 second half points and 29% shooting by the Wildcats who blocked nine shots in the contest and out rebounded Emerson 44-21.

After taking a 60-59 lead with 11:08 remaining Johnson & Wales extended the lead to 66-61 on a jumper by Darren Faust. Emerson retook the lead on a jumper by Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) and a layup by the Lions’ Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) gave Emerson a 70-67 lead with 2:45 to go. Emerson had a chance to extend the lead, but Chase missed a three and following a missed jumper by the Wildcats’ Tirone McCray, Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass., above left) turned the ball over for the Lions.

The GNAC’ leading scorer Japhet Kerr was then fouled on a three point attempt and sank all three free throws to knot the game at 70 with 1:24 remaining.

Emerson’s Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.), playing his first game since December 11th due to an ankle injury, had a jumper blocked by Cornejo Rogers who made the Lions pay by dropping in a layup at the other end to give the Wildcats a lead they would not relinquish.

Johnson & Wales was led by Kerr with 20 points. Greg Samuels had 17, and both McCray (15) and Rogers (10) had double-doubles each with 13 rebounds.

Emerson’s Shannon was the game’s high scorer with 23 points and added 11 rebounds and six assists. Dawkins had 15 points with seven assists and three steals, while Chase and Jon Showers (Fr., York, Pa.) had 12 points each.

Emerson next hosts St. Joseph’s College on Saturday February 2 at 12:00 noon.

Dawkins scores 1,500th Career Point as Emerson Downs Daniel Webster, 91-61

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, Mass. (1/29/08) – Emerson College’s Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass., left) became only the fourth player in Emerson College basketball history to score 1,500 career points, as he led the Lions (14-2, 7-2 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) over Daniel Webster College (3-12, 1-9 GNAC). Dawkins historic points came on a layup with 5:39 remaining in the first half and gave the Lions a 27-20 lead.

Emerson would increase the lead to 18 points by halftime as the Lions went on a 12-0 run over the final two minutes of the first stanza to put the game away.

Emerson’s Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) led all scorers in the game with 29 points. Dawkins chipped in 18 with seven assists and Jon Showers (Fr., York, Pa.) dropped 15 on five of seven three point shooting. Emerson, the top team in the NCAA in field goal shooting percentage, hit 54% of its shots during the game including 59% from three point range.

Steve Savage had 20 for the Eagles with 10 rebounds. Ahmad Hemingway had 11, and Adam Landry scored 10 in the losing cause.

Emerson next hosts Johnson & Wales University at home on Thursday, January 31 at 7:00pm.

Williams-Hinton Buzzer-Beater Downs Emerson, 76-75

from Emmanuel College Sports Information - 1/26/08

Game Boxscore

Boston, MA – Emmanuel’s junior guard Rob Williams-Hinton (drilled a deep three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Saints a 76-75 win over Emerson College in a cross-town men’s basketball rivalry on Saturday afternoon. The Saints improved to 11-5 on the season and 9-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), while Emerson fell to 13-2 overall and 6-2 in GNAC play.

The nail-biting game featured 8 lead changes and 9 ties. The Saints led for the opening four minutes of the game, but Emerson quickly took charge and held onto the lead for the remaining sixteen minutes of the first half and twelve and a half minutes into the second half. In total, the Lions led for 29 of the 40 minutes, but Emmanuel kept it close, never falling behind by more than 10 points. The Lions’ largest lead of the game (10 points) came with five minutes remaining in the opening half of play. After a 29-minute Emerson advantage, the Saints went ahead late in the second stanza on a jumper in the paint by Williams-Hinton.

With under a minute to play, Emmanuel trailed by one, 74-73. After an Emerson miss by Anthony Remias (Jr., Cranberry Township, Pa.), the Saints regained possession and called timeout with 13 seconds remaining. The Saints came out of the timeout and turned the ball over, as William-Hinton tried to find Tyrone Buchanan on a pick and roll. Emmanuel’s Mack Spellman then fouled Emerson’s Jon Showers (Fr., York, Pa.), sending the Lions to the line for the two-shot bonus with 4 seconds to play. Showers made just one of two and put the Lions up by two, 75-73. Emmanuel called another quick timeout before Williams-Hinton’s heroics. The Saints passed the ball into Williams-Hinton in the backcourt and he was able to take three quick dribbles before launching the long-range game-winner.

Williams-Hinton knocked down 11 of his 21 attempts from the field and 3 of 7 from three-point range to total a game-high 28 points in 32 minutes of play. Rookie forward Tyrone Buchanan was the Saints’ only other player scoring in double figures. Buchanan made good on 6 for 9 shots from the floor and 4 of 6 from the line for 16 points, while pulling down 6 rebounds. Mack Spellman grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, while chipping in with 8 points in the win.

The Lions were led by Ben Chase’s (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) 24 points. Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) knocked down 6 of 11 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line for 21 points, while dishing out a game-high 8 assists. Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) hit 5 of 7 from the floor, chipping in with 16 points and a team-high 6 rebounds before fouling out with a minute and a half to play.

Both teams had just one loss in GNAC play entering today’s battle. Both the Saints and the Lions lost on the road at Norwich University earlier this season. Emmanuel, now 9-1 in the conference, will play again on Tuesday night (1/29) in a non-conference match-up at Endicott College at 7pm. Emerson will host the Eagles of Daniel Webster College on Tuesday night at 7pm.

Emerson Runs By Rams in Neighborhood Rivalry, 108-89

From Suffolk University Sports Information - 1/24/08

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, Mass. - Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) recorded a near triple-double with 25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to lead six players in double figures as Emerson College extended its winning streak to four straight with a 108-89 Great Northeast Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory over Suffolk University Thursday evening at Regan Gymnasium.

The visiting Lions (13-1, 6-1 GNAC) blistered the nets at a 65 percent clip for the contest in racing out to an 11-point lead (24-13) midway through the opening 20 minutes of play before extending that margin to 20 points (56-36) at the break. Emerson, which connected for nine of its 10 three pointers in the first half, maintained its double-digit edge after intermission, as the Lions extended their advantage to as many as 27 points in the closing nine minutes after hitting 31 of their first 42 shots of the evening.

Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) added 21 points and seven rebounds for the winners, who also received 14 points each from Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) and Samuel Newman-Beck (Sr., West Medford, Mass.). Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) chipped in with 13 points for Emerson, which also received 10 points from Anthony Remias (Jr., Cranberry Township, Pa.) as the Lions shot 53 percent from behind the arc and held a 24-18 scoring edge at the foul line while converting 28 turnovers into 36 points.

Freshman Allan Ray netted a career-high 21 points in the setback for the host Rams (2-14, 1-8 GNAC), who also received 13 points each from sophomores Alan Jaziri and Joseph Ransom. Freshman Samuel Alexanian chipped in with 12 points for the hosts, as Suffolk shot 50 percent from the field and canned seven three-pointers while holding a 37-30 rebounding edge for the contest.

Emerson heads across town on Saturday afternoon to take on Emmanuel in a GNAC match-up of the two top teams in the GNAC at the Jean Yawkey Center that tips-off at 1:00pm.

Chase, Dawkins Combine for 59 As Lions Tame Eagles, 90-79

From Daniel Webster College Sports Information - 1/19/08

Game Boxscore

Nashua, N.H. - The dynamic Emerson duo of Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass., left) and Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) combined for 59 points and Jeremy Shannon (Jr., Lowell, Mass.) added 17 as the Lions topped host Daniel Webster, 90-79 in GNAC men's basketball Saturday.

Dawkins knocked down 30 points, while Chase added 29 and seven rebounds as the Lions (12-1, 5-1 GNAC) won their third straight.

Brian Inge led the Eagles (3-9, 1-6 GNAC) with 27 points including four three pointers, while Chris Hanson added 12 points, all coming on four three pointers.

Emerson came out firing, shooting an unconscious 71% from the field (17-24) in the first half, building a 51-29 lead at the break but the lead was too much despite the Eagles shooting 65% in the second half.

Trailing 56-31 with 16:41 left, the Eagles followed with a 14-4 run keyed by two jumpers and a trey from Inge, two jumpers from Tim Jackson and a layup from Joel Prince to make it a 60-45 game with 11:50 to go. The lead remained at 15 over the next two minutes, but a key layup and three pointer from Shannon helped rebuild the lead to 19.

Emerson travels to Suffolk Thursday for a 7:30pm GNAC matchup.

Emerson Fires Past Endicott, 85-53

From Endicott College Sports Information - January 17, 2008

Game Boxscore

BEVERLY, Mass. – Emerson College held Endicott to a season-low 53 points, as the Lions fired past the Gulls, 85-53, in a non-conference men’s basketball game in Beverly, Massachusetts on Thursday night.

Emerson, now 11-1 on the season, used a high-tempo, quick ball movement offense to build a 10 point advantage at the midpoint of the opening frame. Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) knocked down three of his 21 first half points at the 9:39 mark, sparking a 10-1 run resulting in a 31-14 lead for the visitors.

The Lions would carry their hot hand into the intermission as Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) connected from behind the arc to give Emerson a 43-23 lead at the break. The Lions shot 55.6% (15-of-27) from the floor in the first half and also buried seven 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.

The second half was much of the same for Emerson, as the visitors used an energetic game plan to smother the Gulls on both ends of the court. The Lions forced the Gulls to turn the ball over a total of 26 times – 11 in the second half - resulting in 31 points. Dawkins caught fire in the second stanza, as he shot 6-for-7 from the field for 18 second half points. Emerson led by as many as 36, as they cruised to the 85-53 win.

The Lions were led by Chase’s game-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Dawkins scored 26 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, while Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) had 15 points and six assists in the win.

Endicott was paced by Tom Connor’s 11 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes. Freshman guard Ben Ford had seven points while senior Todd Burton notched eight points in the losing effort.

With the win, Emerson improves to 11-1 while Endicott falls to 4-9 . The Lions return to action on Saturday afternoon as they take on Daniel Webster College in Nashua , N.H., at 3:00 pm.

Lions Top Century Mark in Rout of Albertus Magnus, 101-51

Game Boxscore

Boston, Mass. - Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) led four Emerson College players in double figures with 26 points as the Lions (10-1, 4-1 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) defeated Albertus Magnus College ( 1-10, 1-4 GNAC) 101-51.

Emerson broke an 11-11 tie with a Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) free throw, and the Lions went on a 12-2 run to take control of the game. Albertus was able to cut the Lions' lead to 27-21 on a Bobby Leonzo traditional three point play with 8:10 remaining, but Emerson went on a 14-4 spurt to make the halftime score 43-25.

The second half proved to be more of the same as Emerson continued to pull away throughout the half.

In addition to Chase, John Showers (Fr., York, Penn.) had 17 points, Boylan added 16, and Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) dropped in 15. Emerson shot a blistering 65% from the field in the game and was 61% from three point land.

Leonzo led Albertus with 19.

Emerson travels to Beverly, Mass., on Thursday evening to play a non-conference contest at Endicott College in a 7:00pm tip.

Norwich Runs Past Emerson, 90-77

From Norwich University Sports Information, 1/12/08

Game Boxscore

NORTHFIELD, VT. – Jaren Jeffcoat scored 10 of his career-high 27 points in the final five minutes of the second half to help lead Norwich past Emerson, 90-77, in a GNAC men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at Andrews Hall. Jeffcoat, who provided an enormous lift off the bench, also posted a career-high 10 rebounds for his first-ever double.

Jerrold Williams added 19 points, and Jamel Bedford notched his sixth double-double of year with 17 points and 14 rebounds as the Cadets snapped a four-game losing streak and improve to 5-5 (1-3 GNAC). Mike Filipek chipped in 10 points, while Derrick Montiero contributed eight points and team-high five assists.

Emerson, which was dealt its first loss of the 2007-08 campaign, falls to 9-1 (3-1 GNAC). The Lions were led by Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) and Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.), who scored 20 points apiece. Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) added 17 points for Emerson.

The Lions came out on fire, hitting on its first six field goal attempts to take a 15-6 lead at the 15:17 mark. Norwich came storming back with a 24-5 run over the next 11 minutes to assume a 30-20 advantage with 4:35 to play on the first half clock. The Cadets, who would never trail again in the game, held the Lions to 1-of-12 shooting during the spurt.

Norwich never let Emerson get any closer than seven points the rest of the half, and the Cadets took a 38-29 lead into the locker room.

Jeffcoat sparked the Cadets’ offense off the bench in the opening stanza, 11 points and grabbing five rebounds. Williams netted 12 points in the first 20 minutes, while Bedford chipped in nine points and nine rebounds in the frame. 

Norwich held a commanding 24-6 rebounding margin in the first half, including a 12-1 edge on the offensive glass. The Cadets shot a blistering 50.0 percent from the field in the first half.

Emerson opened the second half on a 7-4 spurt to pull to within six points at 42-36 at the 16:18 mark. Back-to-back three-pointers by Tim Fico doubled the Cadets’ lead, putting NU on top 48-36 just 73 seconds later.

Norwich maintained a lead of at least nine points over the next 10 minutes, but a double-digit lead over the next several minutes before Emerson used cut the lead down to five points at 73-68 with 2:57 to play. That was as close as the Lions would get, though, as Norwich converted 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:05 to preserve the victory.

Norwich shot a blistering 54.8 percent from the field for the game, and the Cadets held a dominant 47-16 rebounding edge.

Emerson Rallies to Drop Lasell, Remain Undefeated, 83-79

Game Boxscore

NEWTON, MASS. - Emerson College (9-0, 3-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) outscored Lasell College (4-5, 1-2) 10-4 over the last three minutes of the game to take an 83-79 victory. Ben Chase ( Sr., Newburyport, Mass., left), and Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) keyed the run.

Lasell held a 75-73 lead following a layup by Jose Guitian with 3:03 remaining in the game. Chase answered with his sixth three-point shot of the game. Dwayne Powell hit two free throws for the Lasers to give Lasell a 77-76 lead with 2:30 remaining. Dawkins missed a jumper at the 2:04 mark, but Guitian committed on offensive foul to give the ball back to the Lions. Dawkins then made a layup on an assist from Chase to give Emerson a 78-77 lead. A Dawkins steal resulted in a missed layup for Emerson, but Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) rebounded the ensuing missed three-point shot for Lasell. Two Dawkins free throws gave the Lions an 80-77 lead, then Dawkins made a steal with 20 seconds left and was fouled. After hitting one of two free throws Dawkins gave the Lions an 81-77 lead. Lasell missed a three-point attempt with 12 seconds left. Dawkins drained two free throws to give Emerson an 83-77 lead. Dwayne Powell's uncontested layup at the buzzer forged the final score.

The game was close throughout as the second half featured eight ties and eight lead changes. Emerson led throughout the first half until Lasell's Jamie Crawford hit a three with 5:59 to go in the first half giving Lasell a 29-28 lead. The Lasers extended the margin to 41-33 on a Crawford three point shot with 2:17 left, but Tim McGhee (So., Dover, Del.) and John Showers (Fr., York, Penn.) each hit trifectas to pull the Lions within 41-39 at the half. Chase had a career high 30 points for the Lions on 12 of 16 shooting from the floor and making six of seven three-point attempts. Dawkins had 21 points for the Lions who shot 57.9% for the game despite being out-rebounded 36-14. Guitian had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Lasers.

Emerson's next game is Saturday, January 12 at Norwich University at 3:00pm.

Lions Remain Undefeated with Victory Over Rivier, 67-63

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. - Emerson College (8-0, 2-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) roared out to a 13-2 lead in the opening three minutes against defending GNAC champion Rivier College (6-4, 2-1 GNAC) and hung on for a 67-63 victory to continue the best start in the history of the program. Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass., left) paced the Lions with eight points during the run.

Rivier pulled to within three points on three separate occasions in the first half, the last time being on a Danny Ford layup to make the score 23-20 with eight minutes remaining in the half. The Lions' lead swelled to 10 points on a three-point shot by John Showers (Fr., York, Penn.) with three minutes remaining in the stanza. John McAllen hit two free throws to pull Rivier within 36-28, but on the ensuing possession, McAllen fouled Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich. who hit two shots to push the lead back to double digits. A jumper by Bryan Mills closed the first half scoring with Emerson holding a 38-30 lead.

Shannon increased the led to 11 with a layup and a free throw to open the second half. Consecutive three-point shots by McAllen and Bryant Mills started the Raiders comeback and Ford followed with a traditional three-point play to pull Rivier within 41-39. A Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass. layup increased the Emerson lead to four, and following a Mills free throw, Shannon hit another layup to give the Lions a five point lead. Ford hit another traditional three point play to move the score to 45-43, and after Shannon hit one of two free throws, a Kevin Harrington jumper brought Rivier to within one. That was as close as the Raiders would get as Emerson went on a 9-2 run for a 54-47 lead with 7:14 remaining.

Rivier crept back to within two points with 2:09 left as Jeff Carpenter, the GNAC's leading scorer hit one of two free-throws. A layup by Chase and a three point dagger by Emerson's Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass. with 30 seconds remaining put the game out of reach.

Harrington and Ford each tallied 15 points in the contest with Mills adding 12. The Lions held Carpenter to only nine points on the night, but the burly swingman did pull down 22 rebounds. Shannon led all scorers with 19 points, with Boylan adding 15, and Dawkins 13 with five assists. Chase grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lions.

Emerson's next game is a GNAC matchup on Thursday, January 10 at Lasell College at 7:00pm.

Lions Finish Perfect First Semester With 91-81 Win Over MIT

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. – Emerson College rode the strength of six players in double figures to a 91-81 non-conference victory over MIT. The victory gives Emerson a 7-0 record and extends the best start in the history of the program. It is also only the second time the Lions have defeated the Engineers in 16 meetings.

Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass., left) led the attack with 23 points. Chase was 9-10 from the field including two three-point shots and also was a perfect three for three from the free throw line. Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) dropped in 15 for the Lions.

Emerson led throughout the game taking the lead on a Dawkins lay-up 18 seconds into the contest. Emerson was able to extend the lead to eight points on a Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) lay-up with 11:55 remaining in the half.

MIT battled back to tie the game at 22-22 on a lay-up by Jimmy Bartolotta, but Emerson went on a 15-6 run to extend the lead to nine points. A three-pointer by Daniel McCue closed the gap to six, but two free throws by Jon Showers (Fr., York, Penn.) gave the Lions a 41-33 halftime lead.

Following a lay-up by Bartolotta, MIT cut the lead to six to begin the second half. Emerson responded with a 7-0 run to go up 48-35. MIT crept back to within eight on a lay-up by Will Mroz, but a 9-1 run by the Lions moved the lead to 16.

MIT made one final push, pulling to within nine with 3:35 remaining on a lay-up by Billy Johnson. A traditional three point play by Chase, a lay-up by Dawkins, and two free throws each from Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) and Anthony Remias (Jr., Cranberry Township, Penn.) gave Emerson a comfortable 90-74 lead with 1:35 remaining in the game.

MIT out rebounded Emerson 42 -12 in the game but the Engineers committed 29 turnovers and 33 personal fouls. Emerson shot a blistering 57.4% from the field for the game including five of six attempts from three point land and 32 of 38 free throws.

Bartolotta led all scorers in the contest with 30 points, with Johnson (15), McCue (11) and Mroz (11) also in double figures. Johnson had a double-double with 10 rebounds.

In addition to Chase and Dawkins, Boylan had 12, Remias 11, Shannon 12, and Bryan Rouse (East Greenwich, R.I.) 11 points. Dawkins also contributed six assists and six steals.

Emerson’s next game is Tuesday, January 8 at home against defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference champion Rivier College at 7:00pm.

Emerson Ruins Mount Ida's GNAC Debut, 88-57

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. - Emerson College (6-0, 1-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) rode the strength of 63% shooting from the field to defeat Mount Ida College (2-4, 0-1 GNAC) in the first men's basketball game for the Mustangs in the GNAC. The Lions hit 32 of 51 shots, led by Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) who was eight of 10 from the field.

After falling behind 3-0 to open the game, Emerson went on an 18-2 run to put the game away early. The Lions led 46-24 at the half.

Rouse led all scorers in the game with 22 points and Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) pitched in 21 for the winners. Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) with 14 and Anthony Remias (Jr., Cranberry Township, Penn., upper left) with 10 were also in double figures for the Lions. Remias also had four rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Emerson's next game is Tuesday, December 11, when the Lions will host MIT in a 7:00pm start.

Lions Defeat Lyons in Battle of Unbeatens, 84-63

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. - Emerson College (5-0) used a 22-9 run to end the first half and went on to defeat Wheaton College (3-1) in a non-conference contest. The Lions were led through the run by Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass., left) who scored seven points and added two assists.

The game was tight throughout the first eleven minutes with Emerson gaining a 14-9 lead but Wheaton rebounding to go ahead 17-16 with 8:14 remaining. Dawkins both started and ended the run making a jumper with 7:37 left and canning another with four seconds remaining to give Emerson a 38-26 halftime lead.

The teams traded three-pointers to begin the second half. Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) canned a layup to give the Lions a 14 point lead, but Wheaton's Brent DiGiovanna hit two free throws to keep the lead at 12. Following another layup by Rouse, Anthony Coppola canned a three to bring the Lyons to within 11. Joe Boylan (Sr., Royal Oak, Mich.) answered with a trifecta for Emerson, and following a layup by Wheaton's Bud Gaffney, Emerson scored the next eight points to put the game out of reach.

Rouse and Dawkins led all scorers with 21 points each. Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) added 14 and Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) had 11 for the Lions. Digiovanna dropped in 13 points for Wheaton with Coppola and Ryan Sasso also in double figures with 13 and 11 respectively.

Emerson opens its Great Northeast Athletic Conference season on Saturday at home against Mount Ida College at 1:00pm.

Rouse Leads Emerson Men's Basketball Over UMass Boston, 74-64

Game Boxscore

From UMass Boston Sports Information - 11/27/07

BOSTON, MASS. – Center Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I., left) netted a game-high 22 points to lead the Emerson College men’s basketball team over host University of Massachusetts Boston, 74-64, tonight at the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass Boston campus. The Beacons fall to 1-3 on the season, while the Lions improve to a perfect 4-0.

Emerson shot a robust 59.1 % (13-22) from the floor in the second half to contribute to a 50% (27-54) showing for the night and forced UMass Boston into 27 turnovers, including 15 in the second half.

UMass Boston owned a 22-19 lead with 6:36 to play in the first half, before the Lions went on a 12-2 run, capped by a three-pointer from senior guard Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.), to take a 31-24 lead with 3:11 to go in opening half. The Beacons shot back with six straight points to pull to within 31-30 with 1:38 showing in the first half, but Emerson scored six unanswered points of its own to take a 37-30 advantage with 40 seconds remaining in the half and took a 37-33 lead into the intermission.

The Lions began the second half with an 11-4 burst to take a 48-37 lead with 15:33 to play in the second stanza and maintained a 59-49 lead with 9:54 showing in the second half, but freshman guard Giorgios Hologitas made a pair of lay-ups for UMB to cut the deficit to 59-53 with 8:35 showing on the second half clock. The Beacons stayed within 61-55 with 6:33 left in the game, before Emerson put the game out of reach with a 13-2 run, paced by seven points from guard Jeremy Shannon ( So., Lowell, Mass.), to take its largest lead of the night at 74-57 with 1:31 to go in the contest. UMass Boston would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

The Lions took a 15-7 advantage with 12:22 left in the first half, before the Beacons put together a 15-4 blitz, led by seven points from senior forward Mark Doran to take a 22-19 lead.

Rouse grabbed eight rebounds, dished for two assists and came up with a steal for Emerson, while Shannon finished with 18 points on 4-7 from the floor and 10-14 from the line to go with five rebounds, a steal and an assist. Dawkins chipped in with 11 points, seven boards, six assists, two steals and a block.

Lions Stay Perfect With First Ever Victory Over Babson, 89-76

Game Boxscore

BOSTON, MASS. - Emerson College (3-0) rode the 8-12 three-point shooting of freshman guard Tom Messinger (Florence, Mass., left) to defeat Babson College (1-2) 89-76 in a non-conference matchup. The victory for the Lions is the first ever over Babson.

After trading early baskets, the Beavers twice took five point leads in the first half. Emerson went on a 9-0 run to take a 18-14 lead, and although Babson was able to cut the lead to 21-20 at the 9:55 mark on a basket by Zach Etten (Jr., Hollis, N.H.) Emerson held Babson scoreless for the next three minutes in building a 27-20 advantage. The Beavers were able to pull within 27-23 on three consecutive free throws, but a 7-0 Lion run capped by a Messinger trifecta gave the Lions an 11point advantage. The lead swelled to 14 on a Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass.) traditional three point play.

Babson cut the lead to eight points a minute into the second half, but Emerson gradually pulled away, eventually building a 27 point lead at 79-52 with 4:35 remaining. A late flurry cut the Emerson lead to 12 as the reserves from both teams saw playing time.

Messinger led all scorers with 28 points. Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) and Bryan Rouse ( So., East Greenwich, R.I.) each had 15. Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) had 13 and Chase 11 for the Lions. Etten led Babson in Scoring with 15. Brian MacDonald (Sr., Beverly, Mass.) and Kyle MacDonald (Sr., Weathersfield, Conn.) each had 10.

Lions Take Vassar Tourney with 70-67 Victory, Chase Named MVP

From Vassar College Sports Information - 11/17/07

Game Boxscore

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.  -- Junior guard Brian Butterworth missed a game-tying three-pointer as time expired to give Emerson College a 70-67 win in the championship game of the Vassar Tip-Off Tournament this afternoon at the Athletic Center.

The Brewers (1-1) had a chance to send the game into overtime after Emerson guard Jeremy Shannon (So., Lowell, Mass.) missed the second of two free throws that could have put the Lions in front by four with 20 seconds remaining. After a Vassar timeout, the Brewers ran a play that gave Butterworth an opportunity to tie the score with two seconds remaining. However, Butterworth’s attempt bounced around the rim and fell out giving the Lions’ another dramatic victory. Emerson advanced to the title game on a three-pointer by guard Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass.) the night before.

Emerson (2-0) was led by forward Ben Chase (Sr., Newburyport, Mass., above left) who led all scorers with 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field and was named tournament MVP. Shannon added 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Lions who watched an 11-point lead disappear with 2:34 to play.

Trailing 56-45 with 11 minutes remaining the Brewers pulled even on two free throws by Butterworth at the 2:30 mark. Vassar received a spark from sophomore reserve guard Casey Black who sank two, three-pointers, grabbed two rebounds and blocked a shot to spark the Brewers. His second three-pointer came with nine minutes remaining and sparked a 12-1 Vassar run that evened the score at 57. After Emerson answered with seven straight points, the Brewers once again responded behind the play of senior forward Lawrence Avitabile who scored four straight points to cut the Vassar deficit to 64-61 with five minutes remaining. After a defensive stop by Vassar, senior guard Tyson Brazell hit a jumper with just under three minutes to play that carved the Emerson lead down to two. For their efforts, Avitabile and Brazell each earned a spot on the all-tournament team. Avitabile had 19 points and 11 rebounds to record the 24th double-double of this career. Brazell contributed 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Forward Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) was also named to the all-tournament team for Emerson. He finished with 11 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots.

Dawkins Three Lifts Lions to Championship Game, 74-71

From Vassar College Sports information - 11/16/07

Game Boxscore

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- In the second game of the Vassar College Tip-Off Tournament, Emerson College’s Will Dawkins (Sr., Springfield, Mass., left) hit a 3-point shot with one second remaining to lead the Lions past William Paterson, 74-71, in the nightcap of the Vassar College Men’s Tip-Off Tournament. Emerson will face Vassar in the championship game at 3:00 pm, while William Paterson faces Baruch at 1:00 pm.

In a wild and frenetic ending, William Paterson, which had been held scoreless for 7:55 of the second half (from 11:05 to 3:12) had tied the game at 71-71 following a jumper by guard Al-Basser Holloway with five seconds to play. Dawkins took the inbound pass and made a mad dash down the right side of the floor and canned his jumper as time expired. William Paterson had taken a 69-68 lead after senior guard Joey Spiegel went coast to coast following an Emerson missed layup to convert his own layup and a free throw to put the Pioneers ahead, 69-68. With 17 seconds to play, Emerson’s sophomore center Bryan Rouse (So., East Greenwich, R.I.) put Emerson in front 71-69 following a conversion of a layup and free throw.

Emerson’s comeback was keyed by Rouse who scored 18 points, five coming during a critical stretch when the Lions took control of the game, erasing a 13 point halftime deficit and building a five-point lead (60-55) of their own. Both teams battled back and forth over the final five minutes.

Emerson got a team high 19 points from Tom Messinger (Fr., Florence, Mass.), who shot 6 for 10 from three-point range and 16 from Dawkins. William Paterson was led by Spiegel’s 20 points and 10 from Gabriel Paul.

The Pioneers held a 35-22 halftime lead and led by double figures for the first ten minutes of the second half. The Lions, however, turned up their aggressiveness and defensive tenacity and were able to cut the William Paterson lead to 52-50 with 8:38 to play following three straight baskets by Rouse and two by Shannon. A long range three pointer by freshman guard Jon Showers (Fr., York, Penn.) provided the Lions with their first lead of the game, 53-52 with 7:41 to play, finishing an 11-0 run. A single free throw by William Paterson guard Al-Basser Holloway tied the game at 53-53 moments later and set up the frenetic, scrappy finish.

In the first half, both teams started slowly in a feeling out process, yet the score was only tied once, 2-2, with 18:32 to play. From that point, William Paterson capitalized on 14 Emerson turnovers and a commanding inside game (16 points in the paint) to gradually pull away, taking 35-22 intermission lead. Spiegel had nine first half points for the Pioneers, and his single free throw with 3:30 to play provided the Pioneers with their largest lead at 31-18. Rouse had eight first half points for Emerson, which shot only 31 percent in the first half compared to 48 percent for William Paterson.