Franklin Pierce Steps Past American International, 61-49
Powell leads Ravens to first road win since November
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 5, 2005) - Franklin Pierce collected a key 61-49 victory at American International College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Butova Gymnasium this afternoon.
The win ends Franklin Pierce's eight-game skid on the road dating back to a win at Southern Connecticut State in its NE-10 opener back on November 23. The Ravens limited American International to 36.4-percent (20-55) shooting from the field, including 3-of-18 (16.7%) from three-point range, on the night. AIC hit just 24.1% (7-29) of its shots in the opening 20 minutes, including an 0-9 effort from beyond the arc. Franklin Pierce also forced 13 Yellow Jacket turnovers while committing a season-low seven themselves.
Junior forward Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) ended a two-game scoreless streak with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Freshman Mitchell Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas/Cushing Academy) totaled 16 points on 6-13 shooting from the field, including 4-9 from three-point range, and team-best nine rebounds. Junior Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge Catholic) finished with ten points, seven boards and five steals.
Junior John Huggins (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) led American International with 17 points, five rebounds and two steals. Senior Dwaine Clarke (Windsor, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) was a perfect 5-5 from the field and converted his lone free-throw attempt of the day for 11 points and five rebounds, while classmate Danny Sandell (London, England) added ten points. Junior Shelton Powell (Philadelphia, Pa./Gloucester CC) snared a game-high ten rebounds to go with six points.
Franklin Pierce used a 9-0 run to open an eight-point lead (22-14) with 6:16 left in the first half. Johnson drained a three and Powell scored four points in that span. After Sutton ended a six-minute AIC drought with a lay-up, the Ravens opened and ten-point advantage (26-16) after a Powell lay-up with 5:07 left and he added a jumper with 44-seconds to go in the stanza to put his team up nine (28-19) at the break.
The Yellow Jackets closed within six points (37-31) after Clarke converted a conventional three-point play 4:26 into the second half. The Ravens answered with six-straight points, four from Powell, as they opened their largest lead of the game with a 12-point advantage (43-31) with 12:38 left in regulation.
Sandell buried a jumper midway through the stanza to cut the AIC deficit to five (43-38), but Johnson answered with a three and the Ravens posted a 9-0 run to take control of the game with a 15-point (55-40) edge with 3:44 left.
Franklin Pierce (8-14, 6-11 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts No. 2-ranked Bentley College at 7:30 p.m. American International (9-13, 5-12 NE-10) visits Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.