AIC Stifles Franklin Pierce, 68-56
Yellow Jackets move into playoff position with victory; send Ravens packing
RINDGE, N.H. (February 22, 2003) - American International College used a stifling defensive effort to upset Franklin Pierce, 68-56, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (13-14, 11-11 NE-10), which would have still been alive for a home playoff game with a win today due to other results, must now hit the road for a first round game next Saturday, March 1. The Ravens opponent will likely be Bryant College, but could still be any one of four teams. Official tournament pairings will be released Thursday.
The win, coupled with Southern Connecticut State University's loss to Merrimack College moves American International (8-18, 7-14 NE-10) into the 12th and final spot in next week's Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. The Yellow Jackets need just a win over last-place Stonehill College in their regular season finale or a Southern loss to Le Moyne College on Tuesday to punch their ticket into the postseason.
Freshman John Huggins led five American International players in double-figures with a game-best 19 points, on seven-of-ten shooting from the field, and three rebounds. Senior Andre Noel totaled 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Brock Cumberbatch pulled down a game-best 16 rebounds to go with ten points and two assists. Classmate Andre Riley and freshman Kwana Chase each chipped in ten points, with Riley snaring five boards and Chase four to go with two steals.
The Yellow Jackets limited the Ravens to 37.3-percent (22-59) shooting from the field, including 30.8% (8-26) from three-point range, while hitting 51.1% (24-47) from the field themselves. AIC outscored Franklin Pierce, 17-4, at the line as the Ravens converted just four of their ten attempts from the stripe compared to 17-21 (81%) for the Yellow Jackets.
Junior Jimmie Hunt (Utica, N.Y./Mount Ararat (Maine)) led Franklin Pierce with 16 points, on 6-9 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from long-distance, to go with four rebounds. Senior Sharod Campbell (Dorchester, Mass./Boston English) added ten points and a team-best seven boards (four offensive).
The Ravens led by as much as seven points (22-15) at the 6:31-mark of the first half, but American International grabbed a one-point advantage (29-28) heading into the intermission after a Huggins jumper with two-seconds left on the clock.
The Yellow Jackets never trailed again as it reeled off a 7-2 run over the opening four minutes of the second half to take a six-point advantage (36-30). The lead grew to nine (51-42) with under ten minutes to play after a Cumberbatch layup.
Franklin Pierce fought back to within three (55-52) with 5:34 to play, but the Ravens were held scoreless over the next 4:05 as the Yellow Jackets built a 14-point cushion (66-52) with a back-breaking 11-0 run. Chase sparked the run with six points.