Press Release

ROBERTSON GUIDES PURPLE KNIGHTS TO SEASON-OPENING VICTORY
Saint Michael’s downs Felician in Doc Jacobs Thanksgiving Classic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              FOR MORE INFORMATION
November 21, 2003                                                             Contact: Seth Cole      
                                                                                        Phone: (802) 654-2537                    

COLCHESTER, Vt. – Sophomore BJ Robertson (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) tallied a game-high 25 points as Saint Michael’s College opened the 2003-04 season with a 96-67 Doc Jacobs Thanksgiving Classic victory versus Felician College on Friday at the Ross Sports Center.

Earlier in the evening, the College of Saint Rose bested Green Mountain College, 101-74.

Robertson led five Purple Knights in double figures. Senior Ben Smith (Southport Island, Maine/Boothbay Region) notched 14 points and six rebounds, junior Eric Swiezynski (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) recorded 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds, sophomore Chase Graves (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) came off the bench to notch 12 points and a game-high 10 assists, and senior Delbert Randall (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) chipped in 10 points.

The Purple Knights never trailed in the contest, racing out to an 11-4 lead four minutes in. Saint Michael’s pushed the score to 31-13 with 6:15 left in the first half on a jumper by freshman Brendan Mullins (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South). The Golden Falcons trimmed their deficit to 39-28  shortly before halftime before the Purple Knights closed the opening stanza with a 6-2 run to lead 45-30 at intermission.

Saint Michael’s maintained at least a 13-point cushion throughout the second half, thanks to 53 percent shooting in the period. Robertson notched 14 points in the second half, connecting on 5-of-7 shots from the field and 10-of-13 in the contest.

For Felician, senior Jerrell Jeffries (Newark, N.J.) posted a team-high 16 points and 12 boards. Sophomore Carlos Lee (Colts Neck, N.J.) tallied 14 points, while senior Ivan Lewis (Monticello, N.Y.) added 11.

The Doc Jacobs Thanksgiving Classic concludes on Saturday, as Saint Rose and Felician face off at 2 p.m., followed by Saint Michael’s and Green Mountain at 4 p.m.

###PURPLEKNIGHTS###