Men’s Basketball Moves to GNAC Semis With 74-63 Win vs. JWU

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Emmanuel 74 – Johnson & Wales 63

Records: 
No. 1 North Seed - Emmanuel College Saints (18-8)
No. 4 South Seed - Johnson & Wales University Wildcats (13-13)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Jean Yawkey Center / Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023

THE LEAD – For just the second time in program history the Emmanuel Saints men's basketball program will host a home semifinal game in the GNAC Playoffs thanks to Tuesday night's 74-63 win over the Johnson & Wales Wildcats in the Quarterfinal Round.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Saints came out of the gate quickly to start the GNAC Quarterfinal Round, shooting 7-of-11 from the field in the opening 5:44, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, to open an 18-8 advantage.
• JWU closed to as few as six, but the Saints offense reignited while their defense strengthened, as EC finished the half outscoring the Wildcats 20-10 in the final 8:58, giving Emmanuel a 39-23 lead, at the half.
• The Wildcats came out strong to start the second half, tightening their defense on the Saints while opening the period on an 18-7 run through the first nine minutes, cutting the deficit down to five at 46-41. Emmanuel snapped the momentum of Johnson & Wales over the next 2:19, scoring nine straight points to reestablish their double-digit lead, this time at 55-41.
• The Saints looked poised to advance into the GNAC Semifinals thanks to their 60-44 lead with 6:17 remaining, but the Wildcats showed the grit that got them into the postseason by causing six turnovers in a 2:33 span, sparking a 12-3 scoring spurt, that put JWU back into the game, trailing 63-56 with 3:25 remaining.
• But as they had done in many of their close games this season, the Saints steadied themselves at the finish, reducing their turnovers and making their foul shots, as Emmanuel advances into the Semifinals of the GNAC Tournament with a 74-63 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Saints junior Ryan Grijalva (Stratham, N.H.) had a game-high 17 points to go with a career-high four blocks.
• First-year Zaire Baines (Queens, N.Y.) added 14 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line.
• Junior Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year.
• Wildcats grad guard Bryan Davis (Miramar, Fla.) finished with a team-high 16 points to go with a game-best 13 rebounds.
• Senior Aireus Raspberry (Cranston, R.I.) played a full 40 minutes, scoring 12 points on the night.

UP NEXT

• The Saints move on to the GNAC Semis and face the winner of Colby-Sawyer and Albertus Magnus on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Jean Yawkey Center.