Big Second Half Lifts Franklin Pierce Past Saint Joseph’s, 95-73
Ravens net 57 second-half points on 57.6-percent shooting after tight first half
RINDGE, N.H. (February 16, 2004) - Franklin Pierce scored 57 second-half points to extend a one-point lead at the break and claim a 95-73 victory over Saint Joseph's College of Maine in non-conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Franklin Pierce hit 55-percent (33-60) of its shots from the field for the night, including 57.6% (19-33) in the second half. Saint Joseph's also shot well for the night, hitting 52.8% (28-53) from the field for the contest, but hit only 48.1% (13-27) over the final 20 minutes after a 57.5% (15-26) effort in the first half kept the Monks in the game. After canning five-of-eight (62.5%) from three-point range in the first half, the Monks cooled off and hit just 2-8 (25%) in the second stanza.
Senior preseason All-American Jimmie Hunt (Utica, N.Y./Mount Ararat (Maine)) led Franklin Pierce with 24 points (15 second half) as he hit 6-12 from the field and 10-10 from the line to go with a game-high eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Classmate Derek Rodgerson (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) totaled 19 points on 6-11 shooting from the field, including 4-8 from three-point range, four rebounds, two assists, three blocks and two steals. Sophomore Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) registered 17 points (11 first half), on 8-10 shooting from the field, and three offensive boards. Freshman Marques Norris (Jamaica Plain, Mass./Benson (Ore.) added nine points and three assists, while classmate Darryl Minifield (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) chipped in eight points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Sophomore Mike Stallings (Waterbury, Conn./Sacred Heart) led Saint Joseph's with 24 points (15 second half) as he hit 8-19 from the field and 6-6 from the line to go with five assists and two steals. Junior Leroy Gore (Miami, Fla./Miami Northland) added 13 points (ten first half), while freshman Colby Emmons (Portland, Maine/Portland) totaled nine points. Sophomore Curtis Nelson (Dorchester, Mass./Xavarian Brothers) chipped in nine points and two boards.
Saint Joseph's always seemed to have an answer in the first half when Franklin Pierce threatened to take control of the contest and gained a pair of one-point leads and led by two (35-33) after a Stallings three-pointer with 1:36 left in the stanza.
Franklin Pierce took a one-point (38-37) lead into the locker room and charged out and took control early in the second half. An 8-2 Franklin Pierce run pushed its lead to nine points (48-39) 4:09 into the stanza after a Hunt three-pointer.
Stallings canned two free throws to get within seven points (48-41) with 15:37 to play, but the Ravens reeled off an 18-2 run to break open a 23-point advantage (66-43) and take control with 10:13 left in regulation. The Monks would not get within 17 points of the Ravens the rest of the way.
Franklin Pierce (13-12, 9-11 NE-10) returns to action on Wednesday night for a key Northeast-10 Conference battle with Assumption College at the Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m. Saint Joseph's (7-16) hosts University of Maine-Presque Isle on Saturday at 3 p.m.