EC Wins 1st Round of CCC Playoffs

Beverly, MA - The EC Gulls took on the Nichols College Bison in the first round of the CCC Playoffs. The game saw numerous lead changes, as the momentum shifted back and forth between the two teams, but it was the Gulls who prevailed, winning 71-63.

Both teams battled through tough play during the first half. Endicott's biggest lead in the first half was five points, while the Bison had a five point margin. The Gulls went into halftime with a 34-32 lead. The Bison opened up the second with a 6-0 run. The Gulls battled back with a run of their own, going on a 9-0 route. The Bison were unable to rally back, and the Gulls took the Quarterfinal victory.

The Gulls were led by the strong play of junior guard Matt George. George was 7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-3 from beyond the arc and blocked three shots. He was the team's leading scorer with 16 points. Samuel Evans dominated the boards. The sophomore grabbed ten defense rebounds, and five offensive boards. Evans chipped in 13 points for EC. Zach Ellis also scored 13 points for the Gulls and had three steals on offense.

Despite a valiant effort by Nichols guard, Justin Lewis, the Bison were unable to defeat EC. Lewis had a game high 35 points, shooting 14-for-24 from the floor, 7-for-11 from behind the arc. Lewis also helped out on defense, grabbing six boards, and tallying three steals. Casey Butler chipped in 12 for the Bison, going 3-for-3 from the charity stripe.

With the win, the Gulls advance onto the Semifinal round, where they host the winner of the Gordon / Salve game. As the regular season CCC Champs, the Gulls earned home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Tip-off is 8:00pm.