Providence, RI -- Freshman Tavarius Roberson
(Orlando, Fla.) scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Johnson
& Wales University men's basketball team to a thrilling 79-75
victory against Suffolk in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference
contest at the Harborside Recreation Center on Monday
afternoon.
Senior Marcus Crenshaw (Baltimore, Md.) had a double-double with 13
points and 15 rebounds in the victory for Johnson & Wales.
Freshman Lamonte Thomas (Providence, R.I.) added 15 points,
five rebounds and three assists for the Wildcats.
Freshman Jevic
Muteba (Revere, Mass.) scored a team-high 18 points and added
five rebounds in the setback for Suffolk. The visiting Rams
had four players in double figures, including freshman Mike Gibbons (Ringwood,
N.J.) with 13 points and four rebounds while sophomore Mike Fleming (Exeter, N.H.)
had 14 points and five rebounds in the setback.
Suffolk jumped out to an early 13-8 lead and held a 22-18 advantage
after a layup by Ray with 8:04 left in the first half.
Johnson & Wales then went on a 15-3 run, capped by a pair
of free throws by junior Darren Faust (Queens, N.Y.) to take the
33-25 lead with 2:22 on the lock. The Wildcats had the 33-28
advantage heading into the locker room at halftime.
Johnson & Wales led by as many as nine early in the second when
a three pointer by Thomas made the score 48-39 with 15:07 remaining
in the contest. Suffolk responded, however and took their
first lead since early in the game after a pair of free throws by
junior Brad Seaman
(Avon, Conn.) gave the Rams a 57-56 advantage with 9:38 on the
clock. Suffolk led by as many as seven points late after two
free throws gave the team the 73-66 lead with 4:18 on the clock.
Johnson & Wales then used an 8-0 run, capped by a
three-point play by Roberson to take the 74-73 lead with 2:14 left.
A jumper by Muteba gave the Suffolk the lead back, making the
score 75-74 with 1:53 left. Roberson hit a layup to put the
Wildcats ahead for good, 76-75 at the 1:15 mark. JWU then hit
three of four from the line in the last minute of play en route to
the 79-75 victory.
With the win Johnson & Wales improves to 5-9, 4-3 in the GNAC
while Suffolk falls to 1-12 overall, 0-6 in league play. The
Wildcats will return to action on Wednesday, January 21st when they
travel to Emerson for a GNAC contest, starting at 7:00 p.m.
(story courtesy of Johnson & Wales Athletic Dept.)