FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2013
Courtesy of Franklin Pierce Athletics Communications
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior forward Ellis Cooper hit two free throws with 1.1 seconds on the clock to give the top-seeded Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team an insurmountable, 57-52 lead. That would ultimately turn out to be the final score in a win over seventh-seeded Bridgeport in the title game of the NCAA Championship East Regional at SNHU Fieldhouse on the campus of Southern New Hampshire.
Sophomore forward Ryen Vilmont tied for the game's scoring lead with 18 points, 15 of which came in the second half.
With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 24-8 and advances to the Elite Eight at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. The Ravens will meet the champion of the South Central Region (either top-seeded Metro State or second-seeded St. Mary's) at noon on Thursday, March 28. With the loss, Bridgeport concludes its season at 23-10.
Vilmont's 18 points came on 5-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-5 from three-point range, including 3-for-3 in the second half. He led three Ravens in double digits, as junior guard Andre Blackwood -- who had been ejected from Sunday's regional semifinal -- added 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting and Cooper contributed 11. Vilmont hit three straight three-point shots between the 14:15 and 11:36 marks in the second half, as Franklin Pierce closed a 30-24 gap down to 36-33. The Ravens took the lead for good 2:59 later (38-36) on a jumper by junior forward Adrianos Vourliotakis Perdikaris.
Bridgeport closed the gap to two twice in the final minute, first with 23 seconds to play. Vilmont drained two free with 20 seconds to play and later, Cooper -- with 10 seconds to play and the Franklin Pierce lead only two points again -- hit one of two. This made it a three-point game, and after Bridgeport came up empty on the ensuing possession, Cooper went to the line again to ice the contest with 1.1 showing on the clock.
"He's [Cooper] not a great percentage free-throw shooter," said Head Coach David Chadbourne in a postgame interview. "But when it matters, he's a great free-throw shooter."
Senior guard Darian David matched Vilmont and led Bridgeport with 18 points on 7-for-14 from the floor and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line. He was joined in double digits by senior forward Dion Waiters, who scored 10 points on 4-for-11 from the floor.
Franklin Pierce's Cooper, Vilmont, and Eric Jean-Guillaume were all named to the 2013 NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team, with Cooper earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Bridgeport's David and Waiters rounded out the All-Tournament Team.
Saturday, March 16 - Quarterfinals
#3 Assumption 73, #6 So. New Hampshire 65 - BOX
#7 Bridgeport 77, #2 Saint Anselm 66 - BOX
#1 Franklin Pierce 90, #8 Bloomfield 78 - BOX
#4 New Haven 73, #5 Dominican (N.Y.) 66 - BOX
Sunday, March 17 - Semifinals
#7 Bridgeport 58, #3 Assumption 56 - BOX
#1 Franklin Pierce 80, #4 New Haven 63 - BOX
Tuesday, March 19 - Final
#1 Franklin Pierce 57, #7 Bridgeport 52 - BOX
