Championship With 66-59 Win Over Southern Vermont
Release at will
February 21, 2004
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --The Johnson & Wales University men's basketball team captured the school’s first ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference regular season championship with a 66-59 victory against Southern Vermont at the Harborside Recreation and Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. The game was the final regular season home game for JWU seniors Rohan Russell (Providence, R.I.) and Chris Anderson (Wentzville, Mo.).
Russell scored a game-high 21 points and added three rebounds, three assists, three blocks and five steals while junior Sam Tamargo (Los Angeles, Calif.) added 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win for the Wildcats. Leading the way for freshman Nick Harrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds while sophomore Sean Key (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 15 points and eight boards for Southern Vermont.
The two teams battled back and forth early on in the game with five lead changes in the first 10 minutes. The visiting Mountaineers held a 21-20 advantage after a three-pointer freshman Chris Matte (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) with 4:39 left in the half. Johnson & Wales then used an 11-4 run to close out the half, taking a 31-25 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
Southern Vermont responded early in the second half and regained the lead at 42-39 after a layup from senior Sean Ezell (Gary, Ind.) with 14:12 left in the game. The Wildcats trailed 46-45 midway through the second half before using a 6-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from sophomore Victor Purnell (Los Angeles, Calif.) to take a 51-46 lead with 9:16 left in the contest. The two teams then traded baskets before Southern Vermont cut the lead to just three points after a breaway dunk from Enzell made the game 57-54 with 1:52 left on the clock. That would be as close as the Mountaineers would get, however as Tamargo hit six of seven free throws in the final 1:30 to seal the 66-59 victory.
Johnson & Wales improved to 18-7 overall 15-3 in the GNAC while Southern Vermont falls to 16-9, 14-4 in league play. The Wildcats will return to action on Tuesday, February 24th when they host Rivier in the quarterfinals of the GNAC tournament at 7:00 p.m.