JWU EXTENDS STREAK TO SIX WITH WIN AT EC

BOSTON, Mass. – Emmanuel College suffered a devastating 94-36 loss to Johnson & Wales University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball action played in the Jean Yawkey center on Tuesday night.  The win marked the sixth-straight for the Wildcats, who improved to 7-4 on the season and 3-1 in league play.  The Saints fell to 2-8 overall and 0-4 in GNAC action with the setback.

The host Saints managed to hang with the Wildcats for the opening five minutes of the game, but the visitors went on a 9-0 run midway through the first half, capped with a bucket in the paint by Quarry Greenaway (Westchester, N.Y.) at 12:46.  JWU made it a double-figure spread with nine minutes to go in the half and never looked back.

Leading 31-19, the Wildcats held the Saints scoreless for five consecutive minutes, before Alex Myers (Long Beach, Calif.) ended the EC drought by hitting a pull-up jumper for to bring the contest to 47-21 heading into the locker room at halftime.

JWU shot 48.7% (19-39) in the first half and their firepower would only increase in the second frame.  The Wildcats cranked it up to 72% shooting in the second half, knocking down 18 of their 25 attempts from the field and 8 of 10 from the line.

The Wildcats used a balanced attack to stretch their lead to as many as 60 points toward the end of the contest and finished the night with the fifty-eight point victory.

Four players scored in double-figures for JWU.  The Wildcats were led by Greenaway's game-high 26 points, coming off of 8-12 shooting.  Robert Lewis (Providence, R.I.) netted 21 points, hitting 9 for 11 from the floor and 3-4 from the line.  Tom Garrick (Seekonk, Mass.) and Frank Robinson (Providence, R.I.) chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively.  Esaie Touze (Providence, R.I.) led JWU on the glass with his game-high 9 boards, as the Wildcats out-rebounded the Saints, 43-25.

The tough JWU defense held the Saints to just six field goals in the second half and 28.6% (14-49) shooting on the night, while forcing EC into 26 turnovers.  The hosts were led by 8 points from senior guard Brandon Jones (Winsor, Conn.), while Josh Welles (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Jordan DeMario (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) added 7 points apiece.

Both teams will return to action this Thursday, January 9th for GNAC contests.  Emmanuel will travel to Mount Ida College for a 6:00 PM tip.  JWU will host Suffolk University at 7:00 PM.