OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Feb. 2, 2011) – Senior Eric Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) posted a game-high 23 points to lead NYIT men’s basketball to a 75-50 victory over Molloy College Wednesday night in East Coast Conference action.

 

Rodriguez shot 80% from the field with seven of his eight field goals coming from behind the arc (7-for-9). Sophomore Kayvon Roberts (Corona, N.Y.) and junior Russell Holloway (Budd Lake, N.J.) also had double-figure performances against the Lions. Roberts posted 16 points, while Holloway added 12 points and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

 

With the win, the Bears improved to 8-11 on the season and 6-8 in East Coast Conference play, while the Lions dropped to 7-12 overall and 7-7 in league action. The season series is now split 1-1 as Molloy won the first meeting back on Jan. 10 with a score of 72-56. The winner of the season series will be decided in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Feb. 26 in Rockville Centre.

 

John Petrucelli and Kevin Walsh led Molloy with 10 points each. For the game, NYIT out-shot Molloy 52.8% to 40.9% from the field, while the Lions held a 78.6% to 56.3% free throw percentage. In the first half alone, the Bears shot 57.1% from the behind the arc compared to Molloy’s 16.7%.

 

The score as tied five times in the opening nine minutes before NYIT pulled ahead 33-16 on four three pointers from Rodriguez, a layup from senior Carl Kindborg (Stockholm, Sweden), a trey from sophomore Dominic Scurry (Ozone Park, N.Y.) and back-to-back layups from Holloway. The Bears continued to barrel ahead with a 32-11 run over the course of 10 minutes that gave NYIT a 44-23 advantage heading into the second half. The rally included another two three-pointers from Rodriguez, a trey from junior Jahari McKnight (El Sobrante, Calif.) and a jumper from senior Jerrell Walker (Stockton, Calif.).

 

The Bears picked up right were they left off and led by as many as 28 points on a Rodriguez’s only non-three points field goal on the evening, 71-43. NYIT reached its final score, 75-50, on a layup from junior Bernard Brooks (LaGrange, Ga.).

 

NYIT returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 5 when it hosts St. Thomas Aquinas in an East Coast Conference Respect Game. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Recreation Hall.