BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (February 6, 2010) – Every team across the country throughout the season has at least one game where things don't go the way you planned and tonight was that for the DeSales University men's basketball team as All-American senior Darnell Braswell (Allentown, PA/William Allen) was relegated to cheerleader on the sideline because of fouls as he sat and rooted on his teammates who showed some tremendous character in a 77-61 win over Delaware Valley College clinching a Freedom Conference playoff berth for the Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Braswell played just 20 minutes, after entering the game averaging 32.8 minutes per game, but after picking up three fouls in the first half, and a fourth foul early in the second half, he didn't sit and pout at the end of the bench, he became a cheerleader on the sideline and his teammates showed that the Bulldogs aren't just a one-man show.

The first half saw DSU jump out early opening up a 7-2 lead before the Aggies battled back to eventually tie the game at 18 with just under 10 minutes left to play. Still a tie game at 20 a minute later, Del. Val. used a 13-2 run over the next seven minutes to take an 11-point lead with 2:10 left. Sophomore Bob Zanneo (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) ended the run with a three and two more free throws from Zanneo with 16 seconds left made it an eight-point Aggie lead (35-27) as the two teams went to the locker room.

DSU shot just 38.5 percent from the field in the first half and uncharacteristically turned the ball over 11 times leading to the eight-point deficit. Braswell played just nine minutes and had five points to go along with Zanneo's five tallies to lead the team.

The Bulldogs came out hungry to open the second half, scoring the first seven points to get within one, 35-34. It seemed however that every time DSU got within one, the Aggies would score and DeSales could never take the lead on the scoreboard.

At the 13:48 mark, Braswell picked up his fourth foul and headed to the bench as senior Darryl White made two free throws to give DVC a 43-38 lead. The Aggies continued to lead by three points as the two teams traded baskets before senior Matt Zwetolitz (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall), who played all 20 minutes in the second half, came up clutch for the Bulldogs. Two free throws from Zwetolitz followed by a three-pointer from the top of the key forced an Aggie timeout and ignited a 12-0 run that put DSU up 58-49.

Following the timeout, senior Jim Malatesta (Warminster, PA/Archbishop Wood) scored inside over top the Aggies big 6-7 transfer White, while Zanneo buried a three-pointer from the top of the key and junior Brian Hunter (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) converted a fast break lay-up forcing a second Del. Val. timeout with the Bulldogs up nine and 8:17 left to play.

DVC pulled to within six at the 6:22 mark but DSU pushed the advantage up to 11 points (65-54) just 1:10 later when Braswell re-entered the game with 5:11 left to play. Another Zanneo trey made it a 12-point game with three minutes and some change left as the Bulldogs cruised home from there hitting 8-of-10 from the free throw line over the final 1:46 to post the final margin.

Braswell joined four other Bulldogs in double digits with a game-high 14 points. Malatesta and Zanneo each had 13 points, Zwetolitz finished with 11 tallies, and Hunter stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the win. Malatesta and Zwetolitz each did a terrific job on the glass, pulling down seven boards each.

James Jones led the Aggies with 19 points and White finished with 13 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

The Bulldogs return home and to Freedom Conference play on Wednesday, when they host Misericordia University in another very important Freedom Conference game beginning at 8:00 pm as the Bulldogs continue its quest for home court advantage in the playoffs. For those unable to attend you will be able to follow the game's progress online via LIVE Stats and Audio.