Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Gregg Daly scored 21 points and Pat Crean added 15 to lead the Springfield College men's basketball team to a 61-53 victory over Babson this afternoon in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference contest at James Naismith Court at Blake Arena.

With the win, Springfield raised its record to 7-10 overall, 2-3 in the NEWMAC. Babson, meanwhile, falls to 5-11 overall, 2-3 in the NEWMAC.

Daly tallied 21 points and added eight rebounds while shooting 6-for-8 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. Crean scored 15 points to go along with four assists, two steals, and a block. Junior center John Strawson (Torrington, Conn.) added nine points and five rebounds, senior guard Jamaal Gibbs (Norwalk, Conn.) had seven points, and sophomore guard Ryan Blackmon (Stamford, Conn.) tossed in six points and eight boards.

The Beavers' balanced scoring attack was led by senior forward Greg Bush (East Islip, N.Y.), who finished with 11 points and four rebounds. Senior forward Chris Bradley (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) had 10 points and eight caroms, junior guard Zach Etten (Hollis, N.H.) had nine points and six rebounds, and senior guard Brian MacDonald (Beverly, Mass.) had eight points and four boards.

Springfield got off to a 7-2 start just 4:37 into the contest, including four points by Daly. Three times the Pride led by as many as eight points in the first half, the last at 20-12 with 6:30 left on a 3-pointer by Gibbs. Babson would cut it to two, 25-23, with 1:02 left on a 3-pointer by senior guard Kyle McDonald (Wethersfield, Conn.), but Daly hit a 3-pointer of his own with four seconds left to give SC a 28-23 lead at the intermission.

Both teams shot an identical 10-of-27 from the floor (.370), and both teams collected 18 rebounds in the opening period.

Springfield continued to lead but was able to pull away in the first seven minutes of the second half. Babson finally took its first lead (37-36) with 12:34 left on a free throw by junior forward Pat Belniak (Sutton, Mass.). One minute later, with 11:46 left, sophomore guard Peter Skogg (Orange, Conn.) gave Babson its largest and final lead with a lay-up (39-37).

After Blackmon and Strawson hit lay-ups over the next 43 seconds to put the Pride back in front, Babson was able to tie the score twice over the next few minutes - the last being a 48-48 deadlock with 6:03 left. However, Springfield put on its best spurt of the game, outscoring the Beavers, 8-0, over the next 4:40, allowing the Pride to gain a 56-48 advantage that they would not relinquish. Gibbs' lay-up put SC up for good with 5:08 left, Crean added two free throws at 3:38 and a lay-up at 1:59, and junior guard Dan White (Troy, N.Y.) capped the run with two free throws with 1:28 left. Babson would not threaten in the final minute as Springfield held on for the win.

Springfield shot .442 from the field, while Babson shot .385. Babson out-rebounded SC, 33-31, but the Pride made up for it with a huge advantage at the line, going 20-of-29 against the Beavers' 9-of-11 clip.

Up next, Springfield is at Wheaton on Wednesday, January 30 at 7 pm. Babson hosts Coast Guard the same evening at the same time.

NOTE: Taken from a Springfield College press release.