Munch earns second-straight Player of the Game honor with 22 points for Ravens

CALDWELL, N.J. (December 23, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University shot 50-percent from the field in each half to post a 68-51 victory over host Caldwell College on day two of the ECAC/Commerce Bank Holiday Classic at the George R. Newman Center this afternoon.

Junior guard Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) picked up Player of the Game honors for the second-straight night, leading all scorers with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor, including 5-for-9 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and two steals for Franklin Pierce. Sophomore Terrell Ray (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton) was the only other Raven in double-figures with 11 points and five rebounds (four offensive). Freshman Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) chipped in nine points, a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Franklin Pierce shot 50-percent (23-of-46) from the field for the contest, hitting that shooting mark each half, while holding Caldwell to just 30-percent (15-for-50) from the field, including just 27.3% (6-22) in the first half. The Ravens also shot 45% (9-20) from three-point range, compared to just 23.5% (4-17) for the hosts as the Cougars missed all six attempts from beyond the arc in the second half.

Senior Michael Wise (Whitesboro, N.J./Middle Township) led Caldwell with 13 points, hitting 6-of-12 shot from the field, to go with two rebounds and two assists. Junior Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) added 11 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Senior Hans Stelzer (Selden, N.Y./Our Savior) collected six steals, four assists and four rebounds.

Caldwell held a 20-16 lead with 10:19 left in the first half, but the Cougars failed to make a field goal for the remainder of the half. Franklin Pierce took advantage, using a 17-2 run to take a 31-22 halftime lead.

Caldwell's opened the second half with a 10-3 spree that pulled the Cougars within two (34-32) at the 14:45 mark. The Ravens answered with nine straight points to build a 43-32 lead with 12 minutes to play and Caldwell never got closer than eight points after that.

Franklin Pierce (5-6, 1-6 NE-10) is off until after the New Year when it travels to Adelphi University for a non-conference contest on January 2 at 7 p.m. The Ravens next home game is January 8 when they host top-ranked Bentley College at 7:30 p.m. Caldwell (2-6, 1-1 CACC) will try to snap its four-game slide against Merrimack College at the Pace University Holiday Classic on December 28 at 5 p.m.