FIRST WIN FOR MEN'S HOOP AS SAINTS TOP WESTFIELD, 74-65

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Emmanuel College notched its first men's basketball victory of the season with a well-played 74-65 non-conference win at Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon.  Behind a 40.4% field goal and 73.3% free throw effort, the Saints improved to 1-3 on the season, while the Owls were handed their first loss, dropping to 3-1 overall.

The Saints, who led by ten points at the break, put together a pair of 37 point halves to take the nine-point victory from the host Owls.  Emmanuel led by as many as sixteen points just five minutes into the second half.  The Saints scored 22 points in the paint, led by freshman forward James Sullivan (Wethersfield, Conn.), who netted a season-high 18 points.

Four of the Saints' five starters were freshmen and all five were Emmanuel newcomers.  The rookie starters combined for 34 points, 9 rebounds and five assists in the win.  Sullivan, who shot 5-10 from the floor and 7-10 from the line, also grabbed five boards.  Junior transfer Philkwan Tate (Bloomfield, Conn.) dropped 16 points in 37 minutes of action.  Tate completed his double-double effort with a game-high 12 rebounds.  Emmanuel won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Owls, 44-32.

"We played fearless and with poise," noted Emmanuel Head Coach Jamahl Jackson.  "It was our most disciplined defensive game to date."  The Saints forced twelve Westfield turnovers and forced the Owls to become a "perimeter jump-shooting team."  Poor shooting, especially from long-range, plagued the Owls. After draining two quick three-pointers to jump out to a 6-0 lead, the Owls struggled from beyond the arc and shattered the school record for 3-point attempts in a game (38).

Westfield shot just 32 percent from the field (19 for 58), including a staggering 9-for-38 performance from 3-point land. The former school record was 29 three-point attempts.

The Owls also allowed the most free throw attempts in a game by an opponent. Emmanuel went to the line 45 times and made 33 free throws. Westfield was 18 for 32 from the sin stripe in the foul-marred game, in which the officials blew their whistles 57 times.

Only one player fouled out for the Owls, but it was a key disqualification, as leading scorer and team captain Grant Cooper picked up three quick fouls early in the second half, including a technical, and was done for the day with 18:14 remaining.

The closing minutes of the first half also were crucial. Westfield led 27-26 when Emmanuel went on an 11-0 run to take a 37-27 halftime lead. During the key run, the Saints scored on eight free throws and a Sullivan trey.

Emmanuel held a double-digit lead for most of the second half. Westfield made a final push, closing to within six points, 67-61, on a 3-point basket by Dan Johnson with 3:15 remaining. Emmanuel guard Julian Diggs (Upper Marlboro, Md.) hit a huge floater in the lane to make it 69-61. Diggs then canned two free throws for a 71-61 advantage at the 2:30 mark. Johnson nailed another three-ball to cut the deficit to seven, 71-64, with 1:33 remaining, but the visiting Saints held on for the win.

Diggs would finish with 9 points on 3-4 shooting.  Sophomore forward John Clay (Westport, Mass.) added 10 points and 9 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench for the Saints to complete a trio of double-figure scorers for Emmanuel.

Four Owls scored in double figures, led by junior guard Jordan Santiago's game-high 19 points, eight steals and four assists. Senior center Carl Stewart had 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Scoring 10 points apiece off the bench were Johnson and freshman center Shan Pasquantonio.

Emmanuel will return to the court after the Thanksgiving break, when the Saints travel to Wheaton College on December 3rd for a 7:00 PM tip.

(Portions of this release courtesy of Westfield State Univ. Sports Information)