JERNIGAN EXPLODES FOR 31 POINTS AS JWU TOPS MEN'S HOOPS, 83-75

BOSTON, Mass. – Johnson & Wales University senior guard Anthony Jernigan (East Hartford, Conn.) filled the stat sheet with 31 points and seven rebounds to lead JWU past Emmanuel College, 83-75, Saturday afternoon in GNAC action at the Jean Yawkey Center, on Andy Yosinoff Court.

Both squads came out of the gates matching each other shot for shot and the trend would not change throughout the half.  The opening stanza saw the game tied seven different times and the largest lead for either team was five points when Max Butterbrodt (North Andover, Mass.) buried a jumper with 4:37 left on the clock to give the Saints a 34-29 lead.  The Wildcats, Edson Dascy (Fall River, Mass.) answered by scoring the next four points for the visitors to narrow the lead again. Entering the break, JWU rallied for a 43-42 cushion.

Emmanuel owned a distinct advantage around the rim outscoring Johnson and Wales 20-12 in the paint as well as out rebounding them 23-15 at the break.

At the break, freshman guard Emmett Riddick (Middletown, Conn.) led the Saints with five rebounds and also led a well-rounded scoring attack with 10 points. Junior guard Colin Cordero (Bolton, Conn.) was next with eight points and a team high three steals.

The Wildcats scoring effort was led by Jernigan whom led the game with 18 points adding three steals and three rebounds. Dascy finished as the half's second leading scorer with 11 while Israel Johnson finished as the half's leader in assists.

The Wildcats came out of the break hot as Jernigan hit a three-pointer followed by an old-fashion three-point play by Michael Kiser (Pike Road, Ala.) just 2:22 into the half to swing the momentum.  Elijah Lewis (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit a big three-pointer to give the Wildcats an eight-point lead, their largest of the game. Scratching and clawing to keep the action close, the Saints strung together a 5-0 run with an and-1 by senior center Matt Raine (Miami, Fla.) and two more free throws by sophomore swingman Will Jessup (Westwood, Mass.) narrowing the Wildcats lead to 61-58 with 10:05 remaining. The Wildcats answer by going on a 4-0 spurt and Jernigan continued to try his hot hand scoring seven straight for the visiting side to open the lead 12 (78-64) with 3:46 on the clock. The lead was too much for the Saints to overcome as JWU held on for the 83-75 win.

Jernigan finished with a game-high 31 points on 4-for-5 shooting from downtown and a team-high seven rebounds for the Wildcats. Dascy and Kiser finished the contest with 17 and 13 points, respectively, adding five rebounds each.

Raine led the Saints scoring attack with 12 while Jessup was close behind, totaling 11 of his own.  Senior forward Aidan Hadley (Owls Head, Maine), Riddick and Cordero all tallied 10 points for the home team while Hadley added a game high nine rebounds. Riddick had eight of his own.

Emmanuel returns to action Wednesday, January 25^th when they travel to take on GNAC opponent Anna Maria at 6:00 PM. Johnson and Wales University will square up against GNAC opponent Suffolk Wednesday, January 25^th at 7:00 PM.