Press Release

SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT HANDS PURPLE KNIGHTS FIRST LOSS Owls edge men, 65-62; women fall, 71-56 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              FOR MORE INFORMATION November 25, 2003                                                                            Contact: Seth Cole Courtesy Southern Connecticut Sports Information                               Phone: (802) 654-2537 NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Junior Mike McCurdy (Milford, Conn.) scored 24 points as Southern Connecticut State University opened its Northeast-10 Conference season with a 65-62 win over Saint Michael's College in men's basketball action Tuesday night at Moore Fieldhouse. The win leaves the Owls' record at 1-2 and 1-0 in the NE-10 while the Purple Knights lost for the first time in three starts and are 0-1 in the NE-10. With the score tied at 59-59 with 6:02 to play, McCurdy made a jumper with 5:36 left to put Southern ahead 61-59. Saint Michael's freshman Ryan Maloney (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee) hit one free throw to make it 61-60 with 5:11 left before the Owls' Mo Ellis (Aurora, Ill.) connected on a three-point goal for a 64-60 Southern edge with 4:15 to play.  A layup by senior Delbert Randall (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) closed the gap to 64-62 with 3:22 remaining and McCurdy scored the game's final point on a free throw with eight seconds to play.  Will Jones (Jamaica, N.Y.) added 10 points for Southern, which had a 44-34 edge in rebounding. The Purple Knights were led by senior Ben Smith (Southport Island, Maine/Boothbay Region) with 18 points and junior Eric Swiezynski (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) added 13. On the women's side, senior Jenese Wilcox (Port Chester, N.Y.) scored 21 points as Southern Connecticut tipped Saint Michael's, 71-56. Junior Kim Jackle (Vernon, Conn.) and senior Jessica Kolakoski (Wolcott, Conn.) added 14 points apiece for the Owls, who are unbeaten in four starts and 1-0 in the NE-10. Brigitte Metzger (Seymour, Conn.) scored 11 points as Southern jumped out to a 41-21 advantage at intermission. The Purple Knights, now 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the NE-10, closed the Owls' margin to 10 points late in the second half. Saint Michael's was led by senior Erica Kensey (Bow, N.H./Bow) with 11 points while classmate Lindsey Bradt (Albany, N.Y./Hudson Valley CC) and sophomore Brigid Hegarty (No. Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) added nine points apiece. Southern held a 35-30 edge in rebounding with Wilcox topping everyone with 10. Saint Michael's returns to action on Sunday, as the Purple Knights host NE-10 rival American International College at the Ross Sports Center. The women kick things off at 1:30 p.m., while the men face the Owls at 3:30 p.m. ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002