Huge First Half Helps Men's Basketball To 76-68 ECC Home Win Over NYIT

Bridgeport, Conn.-The University of Bridgeport men's basketball team raced out to a 20-point halftime lead, 49-29, as the Purple Knights handed the New York Institute of Technology Bears their first East Coast Conference loss of the season, as the Purple Knights posted a 76-68 home win over the Bears on Saturday afternoon.  UB is now 8-8 overall and 4-2 in the ECC.  NYIT slips to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in conference play.  Bridgeport raced out to the big first half lead by virtue of some red-hot shooting from the floor, as the Purple Knights hit 19 of 31 field goals (61.3 %), including connecting on 7-of-8 three point shots (87.5 %) in the opening 20 minutes of action.  UB extended its lead to as much as 23 points in the second half, 57-34, at the 12:51 mark, and the Bears would come no closer than a seven-point deficit, 68-61, with 1:50 to play as the Purple Knights led from start to finish in the contest.

UB junior Ivan Simic (Belgrade, Serbia) led four Purple Knights in double-figure scoring, and all scorers on the day, as he tied his single-game high this season with 19 points.

Simic was joined in double figures by senior Darian David (Bronx, N.Y.) with 16 points, senior Omari Howard (Bronx, N.Y.) with 12 points and junior JoJo Swift (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with 11 points.

Bridgeport senior Dion Waiters (Brooklyn, N.Y.) played another solid all-around game grabbing a team-leading nine rebounds, scoring seven points, dishing out seven assists and making three steals.

Phil Izevbehai led four NYIT players in double figures with 15 points.

The Purple Knight men will look to extend their winning streak Wednesday night when they travel to Queens (N.Y.) College.  Game time in Flushing is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.