Men's Basketball Drops 81-73 Decision to Dean

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Sophomore guard Jordan Booker (Waterbury, Conn.) scored a career-high 29 points to lead the visiting Dean College men's basketball team to an 81-73 non-conference victory over Bridgewater State University on Saturday afternoon at the Tinsley Center.

The Bulldogs improve to 4-2 on the season, while the host Bears fall to 4-4.

Booker connected on 10 of 21 field goal attempts including 6-for-11 from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Kendall Hamilton (Lakeville, Mass.) added 16 points in 16 minutes off the bench for the Bulldogs. Hamilton knocked down 4 of 5 three-pointers and grabbed three offensive boards. Sophomore forward Josh Croskey (Union, N.J.) contributed 12 points and six rebounds.

Sophomore forward Rayshon Ward (Plymouth, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with 20 points and 11 rebounds as he recorded his second double-double of the season. Senior guard Rocky DeAndrade (Mansfield, Mass.) added a season-high 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting to go along with four assists and four steals. Senior forward Joseph Carty (Natick, Mass.) notched his third double-double in the last four games as he tallied 15 points and a game-high 15 boards. Sophomore guard Ryan Carney (Easton, Mass.) checked in with 12 points to round out the Bears' four double-digit scorers.

In the first half, Dean opened up a nine-point lead (25-16) following back-to-back three-pointers from Hamilton and Booker. The Bears, however, answered with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 25-22 with 6:13 remaining. The rest of the stanza belonged to Dean as the Bulldogs outscored the Bears, 15-6, over the final six minutes to take a 40-28 advantage into the break.

Dean made nine three-pointers over the first 20 minutes including four apiece from Booker and Hamilton. The Bulldogs shot 40% (14-35) from the floor and a sizzling 9-for-17 (53%) from behind the arc. Booker led all players with 15 points in the opening stanza while Hamilton contributed 12.

Bridgewater struggled to shoot the ball in the first half as the Bears connected on just 31% (9-29) of their field goal attempts. Bridgewater also went 10-for-13 at the free throw line. DeAndrade paced the Bears with eight first-half points.

After the Bulldogs extended the lead to 15 in the early stages of the second half, the Bears converted three consecutive layups, including a pair by Carney, to make it a nine-point game (47-38) with 15:45 showing on the scoreboard.

Bridgewater, however, went scoreless over the next four-plus minutes as the Bulldogs reeled off nine straight points to take a 56-38 advantage. A 10-2 BSU run cut the deficit to ten (58-48). Ward scored five points during the spurt including a traditional three-point play. Moments later, a Ward three-point bucket made it a single-digit game, 60-51, with 8:19 remaining in the contest.

Trailing by 14 (71-57) in the latter stages of the second half, back-to-back trifectas from DeAndrade and Ward pulled the Bears to within eight points at 71-63. Following a stop, Bridgewater had a chance to make it a five-point game, but a three-pointer was off the mark. Booker answered at the other end of the floor with a jumper to get the Bulldogs' lead back up to ten, 73-63, with 2 ½ minutes left to play. The Bulldogs went 6-for-7 at the free throw line in the final minute to secure the 81-73 victory.

Dean shot 44% (29-66) for the game and 48% (12-25) from three-point range. The Bulldogs went 11-for-17 (65%) at the charity stripe.

Bridgewater shot better in the second half (19-38) as the Bears finished with a 42% (28-67) field goal percentage. After going 0-for-2 from behind the arc in the first half, the Bears converted 6 of 15 (40%) from long range over the last 20 minutes.  Bridgewater, however, made just one trip to the free throw line in the final stanza.

BSU held a 38-22 advantage in points in the paints, while Dean finished with a decided 20-2 edge in bench points.

Freshman guard Jonathan Mercado (Lynn, Mass.) dished out a career-high eight assists in 21 minutes off the bench for Bridgewater State.

Both teams are back in action on Tuesday night at seven. The Bears host Wheaton College, while the Bulldogs entertain Lasell College.