Late 17-1 run leads Ravens to fourth win in five outings,
Varanauskas notches sixth double-double of the season

Boxscore 

RINDGE, N.H. (January 17, 2009) - Franklin Pierce University rallied for a 68-59 victory over the University of New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Fieldhouse this afternoon.

Trailing by six (52-46) after a three-pointer by New Haven senior D.J. Sackmann (Pequannock, N.Y./Pequannock Township) with 6:22 to play, Franklin Pierce reeled off a 17-1 run over the next 5:20 to regain the lead and open an ten-point cushion (63-53) after a pair of free-throws by sophomore Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) with 1:02 to play.

Dozier finished with 18 points (ten second half) as he made 5-of-7 shots from the field and converted 8-of-9 free-throws to go with seven rebounds (three offensive) and two steals. Senior Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/The Winchendon School) posted his sixth double-double of the season (eighth career), leading Franklin Pierce with a game-high 24 points (13 second half) and 12 rebounds (four offensive) to go with two blocked shots. Sophomore Jeff Manchester (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Ravens with 15 points, hitting 4-of-7 three-pointers, while junior Jack Barrett (Reading, Mass./Andover) chipped in seven rebounds and six assists.

Junior Cassius Chaney (Old Saybrook, Conn./Notre Dame Prep) led New Haven with 19 points (13 first half) and seven rebounds. Sackmann finished with 17 points (15 second half) and six assists, while sophomore Robert Jamerson (Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) added 13 points, aided by 7-of-8 shooting at the free-throw line, to go with five rebounds and three blocked shots. 

Franklin Pierce finished shooting 36.2-percent (21-for-58) from the field, but 43.8% (7-16) from three-point range, and converted 76% (19-25) of its free-throw attempts on the afternoon. New Haven made 39.6% (21-53) of its shots from the floor, including 6-for-15 (40%) from beyond the arc, and converted 11-of-13 free-throws (84.6%). The Ravens posted a 41-31 rebounding advantage, pulling down 16 boards on the offensive end.

Leading by five at halftime (34-29), Franklin Pierce extended the lead to a then game-high eight (37-29) when Manchester opened the second half with a three-pointer with 18:46 left. New Haven reeled off seven-straight points, all from Sackmann to close within a point (37-36) after a Sackmann three with 16:44 to go.

Tied at 46-46 with 8:22 to play, back-to-back Sackmann three's had New Haven up six (52-46) with 6:22 remaining before Franklin Pierce regained control of the game with its 17-1 run. Dozier and Varanauskas each totaled seven points during the game-clinching run, while Manchester drained a key three-pointer.

New Haven led by as much as seven (15-8) after a Jamerson jumper early in the first half. Franklin Pierce answered with a 17-5 run to reverse the lead (25-20) after a Varanauskas lay-up with 6:48 to play in the frame.

Franklin Pierce (8-7, 5-5 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Assumption College at 7:30 p.m. New Haven (6-11, 4-8 NE-10) hosts the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.