BOX SCORE

St. Mary's City, MD (March 12, 2010) – Junior Brian Hunter (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) scored a career-high 27 points but the Bulldogs shot just 35.3 percent as a team falling to Randolph-Macon College, 68-55, in the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Tournament ending another terrific season with 24 wins and just six losses.

The Bulldogs shot under 40 percent just four times all season and under 38 percent just twice (both of their games vs. the Yellow Jackets). On Friday night, DSU had a tremendous defensive effort holding Randolph-Macon, a team that normally shoots 47.8 percent from the field, to just 44.9 percent for the game and six points below its season scoring average of 74.8 points, but the Bulldogs just did not make enough shots, converting just 19.0 percent (4-for-21) from three-point land in the loss.

DeSales got out of the gates quickly, holding RMC scoreless over the first 5:37 of the game as the Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead. The Bulldogs continued to lead by four points, 16-12, at the 10:25 mark after senior Rob Schubach (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) hit a three-pointer from the right baseline.

With the score 17-14 at the 9:41 mark, DSU went scoreless over the next 5:32 as the Yellow Jackets built a five point lead, 22-17. Senior Darnell Braswell (Allentown, PA/William Allen) ended the scoring drought with a short jumper before two three's by Randolph-Macon sandwiched around a triple from Braswell gave RMC a 30-24 halftime lead.

RMC took control at the start of the second half opening up a 15-point lead (48-33) at the 12:55 mark before DeSales made a run. DSU used a 7-0 run to get within eight points (48-40) at the 9:49 mark and had two possessions to cut the lead down to just two possessions but consecutive turnovers spoiled the chance as RMC made four straight free throws to go back up 12 points (52-40) at the 9:02 mark.

A three-pointer by Adam Desgain put the Yellow Jackets back up 15 points at the 7:35 mark and the Bulldogs never got any closer than 11 points the rest of the way.

Hunter was terrific on Friday shooting 10-of-16 from the floor to finish with his career-high 27 points. Braswell added 15 points, grabbed five rebounds, and four assists as the only players in double digits.

Eric Pugh had a team-high 15 points, Calvin Croskey finished 12 points and Brandon Baxton totaled 12 points to lead the Yellow Jackets.

The careers of the five Bulldog seniors Braswell, Schubach, Jim Malatesta (Warminster, PA/Archbishop Wood), Matt Zwetolitz (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall), and Charles Princiotto (Woodcliff Lakes, NJ/Pascack Hills) comes to a close on Friday. This group combined for 92 wins and just 26 losses, two Freedom Conference Championships, one appearance in the “Elite Eight” and this year's “Sweet 16” appearance. Braswell finished his career with 1,745 career points and ranked among the top four in nine different statistical categories including first in scoring, first in three-pointers made, and fourth in rebounding.