Quinnipiac Holds Off Brown, 88-75

Monday, January 11

7:30 pm

Brown University

Quinnipiac

1/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Hamden, Conn. - Junior Justin Ruddy scored 25 points, all in the paint, and senior James Feldine added 19 points, to lead Quinnipiac to an 88-75 win over Brown in the final non-league game for the Bears.

The loss drops Brown to 6-11 overall, while Quinnipiac improves to 9-6.

Brown freshman Tucker Halpern, who Monday was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week, scored a game and career high 26 points by connecting on 6 of 13 treys, including five treys in the second half. His six treys rank eighth in Brown history for a single game. Bears' junior Peter Sullivan (photo right) also scored in double figures with 20 points, with perfect 8 of 8 shooting from the free throw line.

After falling behind by 19 points in the second half, 59-40, with 16:20 left in the game, Brown mounted a furious second half comeback, led by Halpern, who connected on five three-point field goals in a span of six minutes, to pull the Bears to within four points of the Bobcats, 69-65, with 9:00 remaining.

Quinnipiac built a 50-37 halftime advantage behind strong 56-percent shooting from the field (22 of 39), led by senior James Feldine, who connected on 5 of 5 field goals in scoring 12 first half points.

Brown trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half, 50-33, with 1:09 left, but four straight free throws by freshman Matt Sullivan and brother, Peter Sullivan, cut the Bobcats' lead to 13 at the half.

The Bears started three freshmen and all three ascended to the top of the class. In addition to Halpern's 26 points, freshmen Matt Sullivan and Andrew McCarthy added nine points each, with Sullivan grabbing a team high six rebounds.

The Bears struggled to score in the paint without the inside presence of senior All-Ivy center Matt Mullery, the Ivy League's fifth top scorer and top shot blocker, who did not dress because of an ankle injury.

Ruddy powered for his 25 points on 10 of 20 shooting from the field, while grabbing a game high eight rebounds. Feldein finished with 8 of 12 shooting from the field. Deontay Twyman and James Johnson also scored in double figures for Quinnipiac with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

The Bears begin the Ivy League's 14-game playoff for the League Championship on Friday, January 15, traveling to New Haven, Conn. to face Yale. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Payne Whitney Gymnasium.