Assumption Holds Off Franklin Pierce, 71-65
Diethorn’s
double-double leads Greyhounds to victory in NE-10 opener
RINDGE, N.H. (November 20, 2007) – Assumption
College held Franklin Pierce University to 31.9-percent shooting
from the field to claim a 71-65 victory in the Northeast-10
Conference men’s basketball opener for both at the Fieldhouse
tonight.
Senior forward Corey Diethorn (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sewickley Academy)
led Assumption with a double-double effort of 20 points and 16
rebounds (seven offensive) to go with five blocked shots. He hit
6-of-8 shots from the field and converted 8-of-10 free-throw
attempts in the victory.
Senior Greg Twomey (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) followed for
the visitors with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while
junior Patrick Shea (Salem, Mass./Salem) added 13 points and six
boards. Sophomore Courtland Bluford (Fort Washington, Md./Saint
Vincent Pallotti) chipped in with 12 points, two assists and two
steals.
Freshman Steve Ramos (Lynn, Mass./Hebron Academy)
paced Franklin Pierce with a season-high 14 points to go with five
rebounds and three assists. Redshirt freshman Jeff
Manchester (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) followed with 12 points,
hitting 4-of-8 three-pointers, while junior Craig Shepherd
(Grantham, N.H./Trinity) chipped in 10 points and a
team-high six rebounds.
Assumption did not trail in the first 20 minutes of action after
Shea began the night with a three-point basket, but the Ravens hung
with the Greyhounds and did not allow the lead to grow to more than
nine points. After Assumption took a nine-point lead with 3:59
remaining in the half, Franklin Pierce responded with a quick 7-0
run to trim the lead to two and the teams went into the half with
the Greyhounds up only one.
Franklin Pierce came out strong to begin the second half, stringing
together a 12-2 run on the strength of a pair of Manchester
three-pointers to give the team its biggest lead of the night at
43-34. Assumption responded quickly, putting together an 11-0 run
of its own over the next 3:08 as five different players recorded
points and regain the lead.
The teams then traded buckets for nearly five minutes, until the
Greyhounds used a key 9-0 run that turned a tie game (56-56) into a
65-56 Assumption lead with 2:54 to play. Diethorn was big for the
Greyhounds during that stretch, scoring six points and blocking a
pair of shots.
A pair of buckets by Franklin Pierce, including a Marcus
Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) three-pointer,
narrowed the deficit to four with 1:24 remaining in the game, but
the team could get no closer as the Greyhounds closed the game out
with 4-for-4 shooting at the line in the final minute.
Franklin Pierce was held to 31.9-percent (22-69) shooting for the
night, including 10-33 (30.3%) from three-point range and were
out-scored 27-11 at the free-throw line. Assumption shot 38.5%
(20-52) from the field, including 45.5% (10-22) in the second half
– compared to 33.3% (12-36) shooting by the Ravens over the
final 20-minutes.
Franklin Pierce (2-1, 0-1 NE-10) will enjoy a short holiday before
returning to Northeast-10 action on Sunday afternoon, when the team
travels to Bryant University at 3:30 p.m. The Ravens are back home
next Wednesday to host Pace University at 7:30 p.m. Assumption
(3-1, 1-0 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.