News Release

Lancaster, Pa. — No.20 Gwynedd-Mercy rallied from a 39-35 halftime deficit to win their sixth straight game in a 78-69 win over SUNY-Old Westbury in the first game of the 2005 Lancaster Rotary Tip-Off the Year Classic hosted by Franklin & Marshall College.

Center Badou Gaye was one of four Griffins in double figures. The center notched 17 points and 17 rebounds, both team highs, for his fifth-straight double-double and sixth on the season.

Senior Jeff Thomas added 16 points and nine boards off the bench as Gwynedd-Mercy (8-1) will face No. 10 Franklin & Marshall, who were 89-50 winners over John Jay, in the title game tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Russell Brereton led the Panthers (4-8) with 17 points and seven rebounds. Teammates Ian Johnson chipped in 16 and Sal Clark added 14 respectively.

GMC shot 25-of-54 (46.3%) for the game but were 24-of-34 from the free-throw line including a 19-of-28 spot in the second half.

Sophomores Chris DelBrocco scored 12 points and Rashid Santiago added 10 points.

Newspaper Box Score
SUNY-Old Westbury vs Gwynedd Mercy
01/03/05 6:00 PM at Lancaster, PA
At Lancaster, PA
GWYNEDD MERCY 78, SUNY-OLD WESTBURY 69
SUNY-OLD WESTBURY (4-8)
Russell Brereton 7-20 0-0 17; Ian Johnson 6-10 0-1 16; Sal Clark 5-11 4-7
14; Jared Weir 4-10 0-0 10; Chris Roberts 3-9 2-2 8; Juan Ortiz 2-2 0-0 4;
Kevin St. Pierre 0-1 0-0 0; Dan Kane 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-64 6-10 69.
GWYNEDD MERCY (8-1)
Badou Gaye 7-11 3-7 17; Jeff Thomas 4-10 8-10 16; Chris DelBrocco 4-10 2-4
12; Rashid Santiago 2-4 6-6 10; Courtney Griffin 4-6 0-1 8; Joe Kilpatrick
2-5 4-4 8; Francis Bowe 1-3 1-2 4; Frank Barder 1-5 0-0 3. Totals 25-54
24-34 78.
SUNY-Old Westbury.............   39   30  -   69
Gwynedd Mercy.................   35   43  -   78
3-point goals-SUNY-Old Westbury 9-26 (Ian Johnson 4-5; Russell Brereton 3-8;
Jared Weir 2-7; Kevin St. Pierre 0-1; Chris Roberts 0-3; Sal Clark 0-2),
Gwynedd Mercy 4-13 (Chris DelBrocco 2-8; Frank Barder 1-3; Francis Bowe
1-2). Fouled out--SUNY-Old Westbury-Russell Brereton, Gwynedd Mercy-None.
Rebounds-SUNY-Old Westbury 29 (Russell Brereton 7), Gwynedd Mercy 47 (Badou
Gaye 17). Assists-SUNY-Old Westbury 2 (Russell Brereton 1; Chris Roberts 1),
Gwynedd Mercy 10 (Rashid Santiago 4). Total fouls-SUNY-Old Westbury 24,
Gwynedd Mercy 15. A-342
Opening round of 2005 Lancaster Rotary Tip-Off the New Year Basketball Classic
Gwynedd Mercy advances to face F&M on 01/04/05 at 7 p.m. in title game