Men’s Basketball snaps two game losing skid, defeats Assumption 67-64

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 7, 2015) – Senior Ryen Vilmont (Philadelphia, Pa.) took control of the Ravens offense with a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday afternoon, as the Franklin Pierce University Ravens took down the Assumption College Greyhounds by a final score of 67-64. The win snaps the Ravens two game losing skid.

With the win, the Ravens improve to 13-9 (8-7 Northeast-10), while the Greyhounds fall to 9-13 (6-11 Northeast-10). The matchup was a rematch of the two teams from January 3, where the Ravens took an overtime 68-66 win on a controversial finish and layup at the buzzer.

Both teams played about even throughout the first half, with most team numbers matching up. Both teams shot just under 45 percent for the first half, with the score 26-25 in favor of Assumption. However, the Greyhounds shot just a tad better from behind the three-point line, as Assumption shot just over 33 percent (3-9), while the Ravens only hit one three (1-9) courtesy of freshman Dustin Cole (Standish, Maine).

The one point deficit would not phase the Ravens, as came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. Franklin Pierce would start the half with an 11-0 run to reach a 10-point lead just under four minutes in. Just after the run was broken, freshman Lolami Lola-Charles (Edgewood, Md.) slammed home a monster two-hand dunk to continue the push of momentum towards the Ravens bench. The Ravens would not be a force behind the arc per reputation, but rather would play the inside game and gain 32 total points from inside the paint.

The Greyhounds would stage a comeback in the closing seven minutes, and had a chance to win it after freshman Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) missed two free throws with five seconds remaining. The Ravens had a three point lead, and Jack Sullivan was just short on his three-point attempt at the buzzer to force overtime.

Vilmont's strong showing was backed up by a solid offensive night by both Charles and Cole, as the Ravens youth finished in double-digits. Charles finished with 10, while Cole also finished with 11. Senior Paul Becklens (Boston, Mass.) also put on a passing clinic with six assists, and grab a six rebounds despite limited minutes due to foul trouble.

For Assumption, three Greyhounds finished in double-figures, led by Terrence Bobb-Jones with 20 points. Sullivan and Karl Ziegler also finished in double figures, as Ziegler finished with 12, and Sullivan with 15.

The Ravens return to the court this Tuesday, February 11 when they travel to Manchester, N.H. to take on the Southern New Hampshire University Penman. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).