Men's Basketball Opens 2016-17 ECC Slate With 97-78 Victory At NYIT

Old Westbury, N.Y.-The University of Bridgeport men's basketball team raced out to a quick 6-0 lead and never looked back, as the Purple Knights picked up their third straight win with a 97-78 road victory over the host NYIT Bears in the 2016-17 East Coast Conference season opener for both teams on a rainy Wednesday on Long Island.  The win lifts Bridgeport's overall record to 5-2, and NYIT slips to 1-4 with the loss.

Bridgeport senior Kyle Benjamin (Bronx, N.Y.) led all scorers and rebounders in the contest with 23 points and 12 boards.  Wednesday's double-double in Benjamin's sixth in seven games played so far this season.

Junior Carlos DeJesus (Bronx, N.Y.) was next in scoring for the victorious Purple Knights, as he netted 19 points, and junior Sam Joseph (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore Rakim Lesane (Coney Island, N.Y.) rounded the UB double-digit scorers, as they each finished with 11 points.

Jon Feiler led the Bears with 22 points on the evening.

The UB men's basketball team returns to the court on Saturday afternoon, December 3rd when the Purple Knight are back in the friendly confines of Hubbell Gym for the first time three weeks, as they host Mercy College at 4:00 p.m. in ECC action.