Hartford, Conn. - Freshman center Jeremy Thompson (Berlin, Conn.) came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points and grab five rebounds to lead the visiting Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors to a 75-72 win over the Trinity College Bantams in men's basketball action this evening at Oosting Gymnasium.  Trinity falls to 1-3 with the loss in its home opener, while the Warriors improve to 3-2.

Trinity built a 45-32 lead at the half, shooting 59.3 percent from the field and sinking five out of seven tries from three-point land, and all eight of its free throw attempts.  Senior co-captains Paul Rowe (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Aaron Westbrooks (Dublin, Ireland) and sophomore forward Luke MacDougall (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) each had 10 points at the break for the Bantams. 

The Warriors fought their way back slowly, outrebounding the Bantams, 19-12, and holding Trinity to 36 percent field goal shooting, in the second stanza, and finally took the lead, 69-67, on a layup by sophomore forward Broderick Sawyer (Norwalk, Conn.) with under four minutes left to play.  Sophomore guard Brian Ford (Bronx, N.Y.) answered immediately with a three-pointer to give the lead back to the Bantams at 70-69. The teams traded buckets in the final two minutes, before Warrior junior guard Jared Willis (New Britain, Conn.) and freshman forward Jamie Kohn (Columbia, Conn.) sank four free throws in the final minute.  MacDougall misfired on a game-tying, three-pointer as time expired.

Ford led the Bantams in scoring with 16 points, while Rowe and sophomore guard Salah Abdo (Chelsea, Mass.) each had 15 points, and MacDougall and Westbrooks added 10 points apiece.  MacDougall grabbed a team-high six rebounds and Rowe dished out five assists.  Kohn scored 14 points, Sawyer added 13 points, Willis contributed 11 points, 10 boards, and nine assists.

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