Dorissaint One of Four in Double-Figures as Bobcats Down Point Park 81-78 in Season Opener

BUFFALO, NY - After an offseason filled with adversity, struggles and unique challenges, the Bryant & Stratton Buffalo Bobcats were back on the court, and celebrated an 81-78 season-opening victory over Point Park University on Saturday afternoon inside the Rich Family Activity Center on the campus of The Park School.  Junior forward Sam Dorissaint was one of four Bobcats in double-figures as he scored a team-high 19 points and went 3-4 from beyond the arc.

"My team made some big plays at the end," Bryant & Stratton Buffalo head coach Damone Brown said.  "Since training camp we've been stressing nothing but defense and we made some big plays when we needed them."

The Bobcats - who entered the season with 14 new players - won their third straight season-opener, and second-straight by three points or less.  Sophomore Eric Waters scored 16 on 7-10 shooting.  He also added three rebounds and three assists.  Junior Tyrell Mitchell and senior Shyquinn Dix added 13 and 12 points respectively as Dix was the team's leading assist-man (5) and rebounder (4).

THE FIRST HALF

• Mitchell scored the first basket of the game and season 12 seconds into the game on a nice backdoor layup off a nice feed from Waters.  Dorissaint then hit two free throws.  After a free throw from Point Park, Waters and Danny Turkvan each scored in the paint to give the Bobcats an 8-1 lead.
• B&SC Buffalo kept a seven-point advantage for the next few minutes as Dorissaint hit a three to make it 15-8, and Waters hit a jump shot to make it 17-10.
• Point Park pulled to within two, 19-17 with 13:30 left before Dorissaint hit another three to push the lead back to five.
• B&SC Buffalo kept the lead until the 9:20 mark of the first half when Point Park tied the game at 25.
• Point Park took it's first lead of the game with 4:25 left after seven-footer Jagshaa Singh Jhawar scored on a hook shot.
• The Bobcats regained the lead moments later and then Mitchell broke a 36-all tie with a layup and ensuing free throw with 2:46 left.
• Sophomore Jonathon Moody pushed the lead to five about a minute later as he scored on his first shot of the game.  The Bobcats took that five-point lead, 41-36 into halftime.

THE SECOND HALF

• To open the second half, the Bobcats got a spark from an unexpected source, as freshman Da'Shaun Brown checked into the game early in the half and scored on two consecutive possessions.  The second made basket forced a Point Park timeout and pushed the lead to nine, 47-38.
• With 16:43 left, Waters gave the Bobcats their first double-digit lead, 50-40.
• Junior Deric Jackson, who has spent most of preseason rehabbing from injury, made an impact in limited minutes in the second half.  Leading by five with 13:32 left, Jackson drove down the right wing in transition and scored while being fouled.  He completed the three-point-play.  He finished with four points and a steal in four minutes.
• After trading baskets over the next few minutes, the Pioneers went on a 9-1 run to tie the game at 58 with 10:54 left.
• Point Park took a one-point lead seconds later but Mitchell reclaimed it quickly after banging a corner triple.
• Dorissaint made his third triple of the game with 7:49 left to take a three-point lead (66-63).
• The Bobcats never gave up the lead after that.  With 1:34 left, Dix completed the old-fashioned three-point-play and extended the Bobcats' lead to 79-73 with 1:34 left.
• The Pioneers would not go away however as they pulled within one with 44 seconds left.
• Leading by two in the final seconds, the Bobcats forced a Point Park turnover and Dix hit a free throw to seal the result.

PAW PRINTS

• The Bobcats got 14 points from the bench as Jackson, Moody and Brown each scored four, while Jason Mixon had two.
• Point Park had the edge on the boards (36-27).
• The Bobcats forced 15 turnovers leading to 13 points and only committed eight as a team.
• B&SC Buffalo held Point Park to 4-18 (22.2%) from three.
• B&SC Buffalo led by as many as 10.  Point Park led by as many as one.
• The game featured six ties and four lead changes.
• Danny Turkvan scored five of his seven points in the first half.  He also had three rebounds, one assist and one block.
• The Bobcats committed just eight turnovers and and shot 21-27 (77.8%) from the free throw line.

THE SERIES
The Bobcats have now won two straight over the Pioneers.  The all-time series between the two teams stands at 3-1 in favor of the Bobcats.

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