BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Men's Basketball Team suffered a tough 91-81 loss to Johnson & Wales University on Saturday afternoon in the Jean Yawkey Center. This was the last regular season contest for both squads. The Saints entered the contest needing a win to possibly secure a bid to the GNAC post-season tournament, but came up short and finished the season at 6-19 overall and 5-13 in the league. With the win, JWU improved to 16-8 on the season and 13-4 in GNAC play. Emmanuel's senior co-captains Tyrone Buchanan (Detroit, Mich.) and Tony Carter-Hill (Baltimore, Md.) were honored prior to the start of the game.
Sophomore guard Xavier Everson (Rochester, N.Y.) knocked down a three-pointer at the 16-minute mark to give Emmanuel an early 7-6 lead. The two squads battled back and forth for the next three minutes, until Darren Faust (Queens, N.Y.) was fouled behind the arc and hit two of his three tries, giving JWU a 12-8 lead. Junior guard Calvin Jones (Providence, R.I.) then drained a mid-range jumper to make it an 8-1 Wildcat run, as JWU led 14-9 with 12:50 on the clock.
An and-one by Wildcat junior Lamonte Thomas (Providence, R.I.) gave way to a baseline runner by Emmanuel's Michael Mailhot (Norwich, Conn.) and a lay-up by Everson, as the Saints trailed 19-14 at the ten-minute mark. Consecutive hoops in the post by Isaiah Duke (Albany, N.Y.) and a jumper by Everson made it a one-point game (21-20), before Faust drained a baseline shot at 8:30.
The Saints moved the ball well, continuing to find the open player down low, and a bucket and a free throw by Duke brought Emmanuel back to within two points (28-26) at 6:30. A baseline three-ball by Buchanan gave the Saints a 33-32 edge, before Jones knocked down another jumper to swing the lead back to JWU.
An and-one by Andre Fuller (Troy, N.Y.) and Emmanuel lay-ups by freshmen Theo Robinson (Springfield, Mass.) and Josh Welles (Philadelphia, Pa.) extended the hosts' lead to 40-34 at the three-minute mark. Three consecutive hoops by the Wildcats, including a trifecta by Jones put the Wildcats back on top at 43-42. Jones then grabbed an offensive board and scored just before the buzzer to give JWU a 45-42 lead at the break.
The first half featured 7 lead changes and 4 ties. Jones led all scorers at the break with 17 points, shooting 7 for 11 from the floor and knocking down 3 of 4 from behind the arc. Thomas added 16 points and 5 first-half boards for the Wildcats.
Everson led Emmanuel with 13 points on 5 for 6 shooting. Duke chipped in with 9 points and 5 rebounds for the Saints. Emmanuel led JWU on the glass, 20-14, in the opening frame. Both clubs shot well from the floor with the Wildcats shooting 52.9% (18-34) and the Saints shooting 50% (16-32).
The second half opened with scoreless play for almost two minutes, before Jones sunk a pair of freebies to end the drought. Emmanuel picked up seven quick fouls in the first two and a half minutes to put JWU in the bonus with 17:33 to play. The Wildcats continues to sink their free throws and the visitors led 51-42 before Emmanuel's first score of the half.
Another and-one by Thomas pushed the Wildcat lead into double-figures (54-44) with 16 minute remaining. JWU maintained its ten-point lead over the next two minutes, before Buchanan connected down low for the Saints.
Emmanuel then went on an impressive 8-0 run to bring the game back to a two-point deficit (60-58), backed by strong low-post play from Buchanan and Duke. The game seemed destined to turn into a free throw shooting contest, as both teams were in the double bonus with well over ten minutes remaining.
Freshman guard D.J. Fazio (Methuen, Mass.) threaded the needle to Josh Welles (Philadelphia, Pa.) down low as the Saints trailed 68-64 at the ten-minute mark. The Wildcats quickly pushed the lead back up to double figures (74-64), capping a 6-0 run with a jumper by Curtis Lucas (Providence, R.I.).
A put-back by Buchanan brought the Saints to within five (74-69) at the five-minute mark. Free throws and a three-ball by Faust quickly pushed the Wildcat lead back up to eleven (83-72) with 2:40 to play. JWU held on to its solid lead for the remainder, knocking down free throw after free throw down the stretch, to pull away with the 91-81 win.
Thomas scored an incredible 37 points to lead all scorers. The junior guard went 11-19 from the floor and 14 of 15 from the line, also notching a double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds. Jones added 29 points and 7 boards, going 8 for 10 from the line. The duo combined for 66 of JWU's 91 points in the win. The Wildcats shot lights-out from the free throw line, hitting 32 of 38 attempts (84.2%).
The Saints also went to the line excessively, knocking down 20 of 29 tries (69%). Emmanuel out-rebounded JWU, 41-32, in the contest, but the Saints could not overcome the free-throw shooting margin. Everson led a trio of double-figure scorers for the Saints with 22 points on 7 for 12 shooting. Buchanan notched a double-double in his final collegiate game with 20 points and 10 boards. Duke chipped in with 16 points and 6 rebounds in the effort.
Johnson & Wales will host a GNAC quarterfinal contest on Tuesday night in Providence, R.I. Emmanuel ends the 2010-11 season at 6-19 overall.