Nov. 14, 2008
Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With 11.4 seconds left in Friday's game and the Leopards up 70-67, freshman guard Ryan Willen stepped up to attempt just his second and third free throw shots of his career, rowdy Wagner fans trying to distract him behind the basket.
No sweat.
Willen sank both shots with ease, halting Wagner's momentum from an 8-3 run, and the Lafayette men's basketball team went on to win its season opener against the Seahawks, 73-67.
All-Patriot League pre-season pick Andrew Brown led the Leopards with 22 points thanks in part to four three-pointers and an 8-for-10 performance from the charity stripe.
Junior Jeff Kari helped the Leopards jump out to an early lead after chipping in a layup and draining a trey to make the score 7-4 in the first four minutes. He went on to score 15 points, besting his previous career-high 12.
Lafayette led by as many as eight points in the first half with 8:30 remaining before Wagner closed within one point at the break, 37-36.
Wagner bounced back after the half and regained the lead, but the Leopards refused to back down. The Seahawks led by four points nearly four minutes into the second half, but that's the largest advantage they could manage against Lafayette's defense.
Free throws proved to be all the difference. Lafayette converted 20-of-27 from the line (74.1 percent), including 14 of 19 in the second half. Meanwhile, the Seahawks struggled, shooting 8-of-14 in the second half and 19-of-32 for the game (59.4 percent).
With the win, Lafayette opens the season 1-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The Leopards return home for three straight, hosting Stony Brook on Tuesday at 7 p.m., Temple on Friday, Nov. 21 and Rider on Sunday, Nov. 23.
NOTES:
Lafayette started the game with Andrew Brown, Michael Gruner and Jeff Kari at the guards and Darion Benbow and Marek Koltun at forward and center, respectively.
Head coach Fran O'Hanlon used four freshmen in the season opener: Ryan Willen, Alex Orchowski and Jim Mower and J.D. Pelham. Willen and Mower, before he got into foul trouble, played the most of the first-year player.
Sophomore Darion Benbow nearly tallied his first double-double of his career with his eight points and team-high nine rebounds.
