Le Moyne Slips Past Franklin Pierce, 46-40
Dolphins manage just enough second half offense in defensive struggle
RINDGE, N.H. (January 16, 2007) - Le Moyne College scored the last five points over the final three minutes of the contest to collect a 46-40 victory over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Both teams shot below 30-percent on the night with Le Moyne hitting 25-percent (14-of-56) of its shots from the field, including a mere 1-of-21 (4.8%) from three-point range, while Franklin Pierce managed slightly better at 26.7% (12-45) shooting from the floor, including 5-25 (20%) from beyond the arc. The Dolphins, who posted a 44-37 advantage on the glass, out-scored the Ravens 21-3 on second-chance points. Le Moyne also converted 17-of-21 (81%) free-throw attempts, while Franklin Pierce hit 11-16 (68.8%) from the line.
Junior Jason Holmes (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) led all scorers with 21 points (12 second half) for Le Moyne to go with seven rebounds and four steals. Senior Matt Cooper (Fulton, N.Y./Fulton) was the only other Dolphin who netted double-figures with ten points, aided by 8-of-9 shooting from the line, and eight rebounds (four offensive). Freshman Laurence Ekperigin (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Penas) grabbed a game-high 13 points (six offensive) to go with six points and two blocked shots.
Senior Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline) led Franklin Pierce with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Classmate Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) added ten points and five boards, while freshman Marcus Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) chipped in six boards, five points, two blocks and two steals.
Le Moyne was held without a field goal over the first nine minutes of the contest, missing its first 11 shots from the field as Franklin Pierce built a 10-2 lead after a Minnifield three-pointer 6:18 into the game. The Ravens lead grew to as much as nine (13-4) after a Chris Lewis (Parkland, Fla./Coral Springs Charter School) three-pointer with 8:42 left in the first half.
The Dolphins cut their deficit to a point (15-14) after a Holmes free-throw with 6:26 left in the stanza, but the Ravens regained their nine-point cushion (23-14) following two Mayo free-throws with 1:44 to go before the break.
Le Moyne wrapped a 10-0 run around halftime to take its first lead of the night (24-23) after a pair of Cooper free-throws 1:27 into the second half. Franklin Pierce regained the lead and pushed it to four points (32-28) after a Jack Barrett (Reading, Mass./Andover) three-pointer with 14:24 to go.
The Dolphins followed with a 9-0 run over the next five minutes to open a five-point lead (37-32) of their own midway through the half. Franklin Pierce drew within a point (41-40) despite senior Nazim Senaldi (Istanbul, Turkey) missing two of three free-throw attempts with 3:03 to go, but the Ravens were held scoreless the rest of the way as Holmes netted a jumper and split two free-throws before Cooper sealed it with two free-throws with five seconds left.
Franklin Pierce (9-8, 7-6 NE-10) is back on the road on Saturday when it visits Stonehill College at 3:30 p.m. The Ravens return home a week from tonight to host Assumption College and open a three-game home stand at 7:30 p.m. Le Moyne (8-9, 5-8 NE-10) hosts Bryant University on Saturday for a non-conference clash at 3 p.m.