Zukowski's 23 points push Lyons past Fitchburg State, 71-67 and into Salem State Christmas Tournament final

December 29, 2006

SALEM, MA- Senior Brian Zukowski (Dracut, MA/Dracut) matched his season high with 23 points as the Wheaton College men's basketball team advanced to the Salem State College Christmas Tournament championship game by downing first-round foe Fitchburg State College, 71-67 on Friday afternoon in James Twohig Gymnasium. The Lyons improved to 5-3, while the Falcons fell to 1-8.

The Lyons led by six points 3:11 into the contest following junior Eric Johnston's (South Windsor, CT/East Catholic) steal and lay-in before the Falcons rallied. Junior Brian Torres (North Dighton, MA/Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) knocked down a jumper for a 15-14 Fitchburg State edge at 7:24, but Wheaton freshman Ben Stehle (Newton, MA/Newton South) snapped his team's 3:57 scoring drought just nine seconds later by draining a three to ignite a 13-0 run. Sophomore Mark Sullivan (West Roxbury, MA/Catholic Memorial) canned consecutive three-point attempts 1:09 apart during that time to key the Lyons' efforts to pull away. After leading by as much as 12, Wheaton took a 31-24 advantage into the locker room.

Zukowski came up big as the Lyons turned a five-point edge into a 14-point cushion, their largest of the game, thanks to a 10-1 run early in the second stanza. With Wheaton holding on to a 37-32 lead, Zukowski collected a steal and dropped in a bucket at 14:55 before later hitting a freebie and tallying the final five points of the run.

However, the second technical foul assessed to Fitchburg State in a matter of 1:41 seemed to spark the Falcons, who turned a 47-33 deficit at 12:26 into a 48-all contest at 8:09 on freshman Jarod Baronowski's (Worcester, MA/Saint Peter Marian) lay-up. But just 30 seconds later, Zukowski fed junior Brent DiGiovanna (Hanover, MA/Hanover) for the go-ahead hoop, one which gave the Lyons the lead for good, and Zukowski knocked down a three at 7:20 for a 53-48 edge.

Over the final 7:39, DiGiovanna, Johnston and Zukowski shouldered the offensive load for Wheaton, tallying the Lyons' final 23 points. The trio hit 10 of its final 12 free throw attempts and went 6-of-10 from the floor during that time as the Blue and White held off the Falcons, who stayed close and came within three points late after hitting three long-range shots in the final 19 seconds.

DiGiovanna totaled 18 points, two shy of his career high, and a personal-best 12 rebounds for his second career double-double. Zukowski went 10-of-12 on free throws and hit three three-pointers while adding six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Johnston contributed 11 points and six caroms for the Lyons, who went a collective 14-of-21 from the charity stripe in the second half after attempting only one freebie in the first frame.

Torres tallied team highs of 23 points and nine rebounds for the Falcons while tacking on three steals, and sophomore Jeff Kozik (Auburn, MA/Auburn) netted 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting with five steals. Fitchburg State went 11-of-29 from beyond the arc but only 12-of-27 from two-point range. Wheaton opponents were shooting 80.6 from the charity stripe entering the contest, but the Falcons went 10-of-21 on free throws.

The Lyons take on the winner of tonight's first-round contest between Salem State and Wesleyan University in tomorrow's championship game at 7:00 p.m.

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