Main page | March 2, 2008 »

Brown drubs Penn, ties record

BY MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer

PROVIDENCE – As improbable as this appears, Brown crushed – make that CRUSHED – Penn by 32 points Saturday night, completing an unprecedented season sweep of the Quakers and the Princeton Tigers, the marquee names in Ivy League basketball, and tying the school record for victories in a season.

Brown’s 75-43 rout was the most lop-sided of the 20 games Brown has won in this series, which dates to 1901, and Penn's worst loss in Ivy League history. With a crowd of 1,727 at the Pizzitola Center cheering them, the Bears started fast and never let up. They scored the first 14 points, kept the Quakers off the board for the first 7:21, held the Quakers to single-digit scoring for 17 minutes and 15 seconds, led 44-14 at the half, and led by 39 with 13:21 to play and again with 3:15 remaining in the game. At one point late in the first half, Brown had 17 field goals to Penn’s 17 field goal attempts. Brown shot 63.6 percent for the game and had 38 points in the paint.

Brown improved to 17-9 overall, tying the 1974, 2002 and 2003 teams for the most victories in a season, and to 9-3 in the Ivy League. Brown can stand alone in the win column with a victory next Friday night at Harvard or Saturday night at Dartmouth.

Oh, it was senior night, and Mark McAndrew of Barrington and Damon Huffman went out in style. McAndrew scored 16 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 3 assists and made a steal. Huffman had 14 points, 4 assists and 2 steals and sank a pair of three-pointers. His second with 18:39 to play was his 216th and broke the Brown career record of 215 set by Brian Lloyd in 1996. McAndrew also made two treys and tied Earl Hunt for fourth place on the Brown career list with 158.

“It was so sweet.” McAndrew chirped.

“I couldn’t be happier. It’s everything I could have asked for. Today was a great day,” Huffman exclaimed.

Fellow senior Mark MacDonald, out with a concussion, looked great in suit and tie and applauded his mates from the bench.

There were other heroes on this memorable evening. Junior Scott Friske started in place of injured center Matt Mullery (knee) and played one of his best games in a Brown uniform: 13 points on 6-7 shooting, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

“His play tonight was just superb. Scott stepped up. We needed him to, and he did,” coach Craig Robinson said.

Freshman Peter Sullivan scored 16 points on 4-5 shooting from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line. Freshman Chris Taylor provided 13 minutes of relief for Friske and contributed six points.

Penn coach Glen Miller, who left Brown two years ago and won the Ivy League championship last season, praised his former team.

“We got drilled. Brown was ready from the get-go and we weren’t. Brown is a good team, a mature team, a veteran team. They play harder than any team in the league. Cornell is very good, but Brown plays harder.”

mszostak@projo.com / 401-277-7340

Posted by Mike Szostak  at 9:45 PM to College Sports | Permalink | Comments 0

Division II boys basketball playoff scores

Rogers 61, Scituate 60
Classical 62, Narragansett 51
West Warwick 76, Feinstein 70
Coventry 68, Tiverton 57

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 6:55 PM to High School | Permalink | Comments 0

Division I girls basketball playoff scores

La Salle 61, Exeter/West Greenwich 33
Coventry 51, East Greenwich 43
Bay View 61, Lincoln 22
South Kingstown 47, Ponaganset 41

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 6:02 PM to High School | Permalink | Comments 0