Franklin Pierce Races Past Assumption, 73-57
Ravens finish strong after trailing at the break to win fifth-straight
WORCESTER, Mass. (February 1, 2006) - Franklin Pierce erased a five-point halftime deficit and took control in the second half in posting a 73-57 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Laska Gymnasium tonight.
After being on the short end of a 22-12 rebounding margin in the first half, Franklin Pierce took command of the boards in the second to the tune of 21-14. The Ravens limited Assumption to 25.9-percent (7-27) shooting from the field in the second half, while hitting 50% (14-28) from the field themselves down the stretch for a 48.1% (26-54) shooting effort for the night.
Senior Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) led four Ravens in double-figures with 15 points, hitting 6-of-10 shots from the field, and six rebounds, while classmate Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) added 13 points, six boards and three steals. Freshman Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) contributed 13 points (11 second half), while junior Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) chipped in 11 points.
Senior Josh Melucci (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) led Assumption with 14 points, hitting 6-of-9 from the field, in 17 minutes off the bench. Sophomore Greg Twomey (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) added 13 points (eight first half), four rebounds and five steals, while classmate Corey Diethorn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sewickey Academy) chipped in seven points, eight boards (three offensive) and two blocks.
Franklin Pierce, winners of five-straight for the first time since joining the NE-10 in 2000, opened the second half with an 8-0 run to turn a five-point deficit into a three-point lead (39-36) 3:01 into the half after back-to-back Munch baskets. The score was tied (44-44) with 13:06 to play when the Ravens reeled off a 16-5 run to open an 11-point lead (60-49) after Powell converted a conventional three-point play with 6:07 left.
Freshman Patrick Shea (Salem, Mass./Salem) hit a jumper with 3:04 to play and that marked the Greyhounds final field goal of the night as Franklin Pierce outscored the hosts 9-4 down the stretch to seal the victory.
Franklin Pierce was just 4-for-10 from the free-throw line in the opening half, but after missing its first from the line in the second, hit its next 11 at the stripe and was 13-16 over the final 20 minutes. The Ravens also turned 24 Assumption turnovers into 32 points for the night (17-4 in the second half).
The Ravens looked to run away with the contest early, opening leads of 16-4 and 24-11 over the first ten minutes of the contest. However, Assumption answered with an 18-5 run to forge a 29-29 deadlock after a Twomey basket with 4:19 left in the frame. The Greyhounds held Franklin Pierce without a field goal over the final 6:40 of the half and closed out the stanza with a 14-2 run to take a five-point lead (36-31) into the intermission. Twomey sparked the run with seven points.
Franklin Pierce (13-7, 10-5 NE-10) returns home on Saturday when it hosts American International College at 3:30 p.m. Assumption (4-17, 2-14 NE-10) visits UMass Lowell on Saturday at 4 p.m.