PROVIDENCE, RI – Johnson & Wales University (6-7, 5-1 GNAC) trumped Saint Joseph's College (7-5, 3-3 GNAC), 60-56, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball action on Thursday night. Junior guard Matthew Medeiros (Westport, Mass.) netted 22 points in the losing effort.

Saint Joseph's took the early 6-1 lead, but Johnson & Wales responded with a 14-4 run, capped by a free throw by junior Frank Robinson (Providence, R.I.) to take the 15-10 advantage with 11:32 left in the first half.  The Wildcats first double-digit lead came with 5:28 remaining in the half when a layup by junior Curtis Lucas (Providence, R.I) made the score 28-17.  JWU took the 30-25 lead into the locker room heading into halftime after shooting 44.0% (11-for-25) from the field while holding Monks to 31.0% (9-for-29) for the stanza.

JWU again boosted their lead to double figures on a layup by Robinson to make the score 46-36 with just over 13:00 left in the contest. Saint Joseph's climbed back into the game and cut the lead down to 54-49 on a layup by Medeiros with seven minutes remaining and went on to make it a 58-56 game when senior Julio Vazquez (Waterbury, Conn.) made a layup with 1:08 remaining.  That would be as close as the Monks would get, however as freshman Tom Garrick, Jr. (Seekonk, Mass.) hit a pair of free throws with seven seconds left to secure the 60-56 win for the Wildcats.

For the Monks, Steve Simonds (Steep Falls, Maine) tallied 10 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists, Krubiel Workie (Denver, Colo.) added seven points and three boards, and James Philbrook (Auburn, Maine) chipped in with six points and three caroms in his first collegiate start.

For the Wildcats, Lucas recorded 17 points, five rebounds and four assists while Robinson also had 17 points and five boards in the victory. Garrick, Jr. added 12 points while fellow rookie Quarry Greenway (Westchester, N.Y.) was also in double figures with 11 points, four rebounds and five blocks.

With the loss Saint Joseph's falls to 6-5 in the history of the series with Johnson & Wales University. With 116 total points, tonight's contest ranks as the lowest-scoring game between the GNAC rivals in the six-year history of the matchup.

Both teams return to action with conference contests on Saturday when Saint Joseph's travels to Rivier University and Johnson & Wales hosts Emerson College. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.

THANKS IN LARGE PART TO JWU SPORTS INFORMATION

Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.