Press Release

SAINT ROSE HOLDS OFF PURPLE KNIGHTS, 83-81 SMC places four in double digits in loss FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION February 4, 2004                                                                       Contact: Seth Cole Courtesy of Saint Rose Sports Information                                   Phone: (802) 654-2537 ALBANY, N.Y. - The College of Saint Rose men’s basketball team held off a late surge by visiting Saint Michael’s to come away with an 83-81 victory in a Northeast-10 Conference game at Sage College of Albany tonight. The Golden Knights (15-6, 10-6 NE-10) avenged their first loss of the season and snapped a two-game Saint Michael’s (6-15, 3-14 NE-10) win streak in the process. Junior forward Adonist Barber (Schenectady, N.Y./Schenectady) and senior guard/forward Jesse Cort (Red Hook, N.Y./Red Hook) both recorded double-doubles to lead the Golden Knights, who improved to 7-2 at home on the year. Barber had 19 points and 11 rebounds, including seven from the offensive glass, to go with three steals while Cort tossed in 14 points and hauled down 11 caroms. Cort also jumped into sixth place on the College’s all-time scoring chart with 1,518 points. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Brad Shove (Pittsfield, Mass./Pittsfield) was in double-figures scoring for the eighth straight time with 17 points. Senior forward Delbert Randall (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) led four Saint Michael’s players in double-figures with 19 points and seven rebounds while fellow senior forward Ben Smith (Southport Island, Maine/Boothbay Region) ended up with 15 points. Sophomore guard BJ Robertson (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) and junior forward Eric Swiezynski (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) added 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Golden Knights transformed an 11 point, 45-34, halftime lead into a 16 point, 64-48, advantage with 12:48 to go after junior guard Terry George (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Traditional) converted a Barber steal with a fastbreak layup. However, Saint Michael’s went on a 20-5 run at that juncture to pull within a point, 69-68, following a bucket by Randall with 6:13 showing on the clock. Saint Rose pushed its advantage back to nine, 80-71, with 2:24 to go, but the last-place Purple Knights refused to go away by rattling off eight unanswered points to again get to within one, 80-79, with 1:02 remaining. However, George drained a pair of free throws to make it a three-point ballgame, 82-79, with 41 seconds left. King then missed the front end of a one-and-one following a Saint Michael’s turnover, but Randall converted inside to make it a point ballgame, 82-81, yet again. Cort afforded Saint Rose some breathing room in the final three seconds by burying the second of two free throws. The Purple Knights were then left to throw up a desperation shot from midcourt considering they had no timeouts to their credit. The Purple Knights return to action on Saturday at the Ross Sports Center versus Pace University 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