Franklin Pierce Sweeps Past Southern N.H., 57-46
Minnifield scores 13 of game-high 19 points after halftime to lead Ravens
MANCHESTER, N.H. (January 13, 2007) - Franklin Pierce finished off its first regular season sweep of instate rivals Southern New Hampshire University since 2000-01 with a 57-46 victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the SNHU Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Senior captain Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline) scored 13 of his game-high 19 points after halftime and also added a game-high eight rebounds (four offensive) and two assists. Freshman Marcus Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists, while senior Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) contributed ten points and five boards. Sophomore Jack Barrett (Reading, Mass./Andover) chipped in eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
Sophomore L.J. Hunter (Cumberland, R.I./Dublin School) led Southern New Hampshire with 13 points (10 first half), four rebounds and two assists. Classmate Chris Brickley (Manchester, N.H.) was the only other Penman in double-figures with 12 points, while junior Sam Carey (Manchester, N.H./Central) chipped in six points and sophomore Modestas Riauka (Kaunas, Lithuania) grabbed a team-high six rebounds off the bench.
Franklin Pierce shot 52-percent (13-of-25) from the field in the second half to finish shooting 42.9% (21-49) overall, while limiting SNHU to just 28% (14-50) shooting overall, including 8-30 (26.7%) from three-point range. The game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes throughout.
The Ravens took a five-point lead (14-9) after a pair of Mayo free throws with 7:59 to play in the first half. The Penmen answered with an 11-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Hunter to take a six-point lead (20-14) with 3:57 left before intermission. A Hunter layup with 26-seconds left in the half broke a 23-23 tie and gave the Penmen a two-point lead (25-23) heading into the locker room.
The game was back-and-forth over the first 11 minutes of the second half, before a 13-0 Franklin Pierce run put the visitors up 12 (51-39) with 4:51 to go. Minnifield sparked the run with a conventional three-point play and netted six points in all during that stretch. The Penmen wouldn't get within nine points the rest of the way.
Franklin Pierce (9-7, 7-5 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Le Moyne College at 7:30 p.m. Southern New Hampshire (2-14, 2-11 NE-10) hosts Bryant University on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.