Box Score
Game Program
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (NOVEMBER 15, 2011) -- The Vassar College men's basketball team opened the 2011-12 season with a narrow 69-66 win over St. Joseph's College (NY) Brooklyn on Tuesday night at the Athletics and Fitness Center.
Vassar scored first and led for the duration but St. Joseph's hung within single digits for much of the game. With Vassar leading 69-66 in the final seconds, St. Joseph's Antoine Forehand hoisted the game's final shot but the long three was offline and time expired.
The Brewers (1-0) hit the road to face Mount St. Mary on Friday, November 18, at 7:00 p.m. The Bears (0-1) face Mitchell College in the Mitchell College Tip-Off Tournament on Friday at 6:00 p.m.
The Brewers led 66-56 with just under 4:00 remaining but David Louison keyed a 6-0 Bear run with a driving layup. Jan Ragowski added a layup and Justin Gist hit a pair of free throws to push the Bears within four points at 66-62 with 2:12 remaining.
On Vassar's next possession, senior Nick Justiz hit a deep triple to squash the Bear run and extend Vassar's lead to 69-62. Vassar sophomore Evan Carberry picked up a steal to halt the Bear's next possession. In the final minute, St. Joseph's added a free throw and a three-pointer by Justin Gist to bring the score to 69-66 but it would come no closer.
In the first half, the Brewers shot an efficient 45.5 percent to take a 37-27 lead into halftime. Vassar limited St. Joseph's to 22.5 percent from the field and a debilitating 2-12 (16.7 percent) from 3-point range. St. Joseph's found its stride and shot 46.7 percent in the second half and went 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Vassar led by several baskets for most of the first half but St. Joseph's pulled within two at 28-26 with a three-pointer by Gist. Justiz knocked down a pull-up three to spark a 9-0 run by the Brewers just before the half. Vassar's next three baskets came on offensive rebounds that led to layups.
Vassar held a 35-25 rebounding advantage and found 21 points off the bench with seven players tallying eight or more points to counter a trio of St. Joseph's players who scored over 15 points apiece.
Justiz finished with 15 points and shot 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Senior captain Ethan Shanley came off the bench for 11 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. Junior guard Jon Herzog and freshman center Alex Snyder each posted eight points and five assists.
St. Joseph's David Louison made his intercollegiate debut and led all scorers with 16 points. Gist and Ragowski each added 15 points. Ismael Dabo led all rebounders with 12 boards.