MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO BRYANT IN OVERTIME, 76-75

PLEASANTVILLE, NY - The Pace University men's basketball team lost a nail biting overtime thriller to the Bulldogs of Bryant University, 76-75, tonight in a Northeast-10 Conference game at the Goldstein Fitness Center. The Setters drop to an even 7-7 overall record and 6-3 in NE-10 play, while the Bulldogs improve to 9-7 on the season, 5-6 in conference play.

Pace had three players score in double figures led by senior Ryan Williams' (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) team-high 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field, including 4-for-8 from long range and 5-for-6 from the line. Classmate Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) (Rye, NY/Rye) finished the night with a double-double recording 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while senior Gibraltar White (Gautier, MS/Gautier) (Gautier, MS/Gautier) added 13 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Laurence McGhee (Linden, NJ/Linden) (Linden, NJ/Linden) paced the Setters offense dishing seven assists.

The Bulldogs were led by sophomore guard Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI/Scituate), who scored a game-high 24 points on 7-for-13 shooting, going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and 5-for-6 from the line. Birrell also distributed the ball dishing out seven assists. Classmate Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT/Maine Central Institute) recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Peter Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland) finished the night 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting from three.

Bryant led for most of the first half taking a 10-point lead, 15-5, at the 12:15 mark on a three-pointer from Gresham. The Bulldogs would lead by as many as 11, 18-7, before Pace used a 15-8 run to close to within four at halftime, 26-22. Lambert carried the offensive load for Bryant scoring nine points going 3-for-6 from three, while Birrell and Gresham each added five points apiece. Williams led all scorers for Pace with 11 first half points.

The second half featured a back and forth battle as the Setters looked to get back in the game. The Bulldogs maintained their lead for much of the second half, before a three pointer from White at the 7:13 mark made the game 47-46 in favor of the Setters, giving Pace their first lead since scoring the opening bucket. The Setters would maintain a slim lead as both teams traded baskets back and forth. Down by two with 12 seconds remaining, Birrell would force overtime as he hit both of his free throws, tying the game at 64, after being fouled driving to the basket.

The overtime frame would feature much of the same, as neither team was able to separate themselves from the other. Tied at 68 with 3:14 left in overtime, a Lambert three pointer and a Barry Latham (Taunton, MA/Marianapolis Prep (CT)) lay-up gave Bryant a five-point lead, 73-68. The Setters were unable to recover from the deficit as the Bulldogs escaped with the one point victory, 76-75.

Pace shot 41.5% (27-for-65) from the field, but was just able to convert 29.6% (8-for-27) from three and 61.9% (13-for-21) from the line, while Bryant shot 45.2% (28-for-62) from the field, including 40.0% (12-for-30) from three, which made up for their 47.1% (8-for-17) shooting from the line. Rebounds were even at 40 apiece.

The Setters will be back in action this Saturday, January 12th, as Pace will travel to Lowell, MA to take on the University of Massachusetts - Lowell in a Northeast-10 Conference match-up with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m.