RINDGE, N.H. (November 19, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team opened up their home schedule with a Northeast-10 Conference contest against Bentley University on Saturday and lost to the Falcons by a 94-68 score. With the win, Bentley stands at 3-1 and 1-1 in league play while the host Ravens drop to 2-2 and 1-1 in the NE-10.

The Crimson and Grey won the turnover column against Bentley and scored 22 second chance points to the Falcons nine, but shot poorly from the field 27-of-72 (37.5%) and the charity stripe (9-of-21, 42.9%).

Junior forward Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) chalked up 15 points on 7-of-11 (63.6%) shooting, snagged nine rebounds and came up with two steals. Donte Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) recorded a double-double with a team-high 17 points and 10 rebounds while handing out two assists. Matt Barr led Bentley with 18 points connecting on 4-of-6 (66.7%) shots from deep. Seth Stankiewicz came off the bench and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field including 4-of-4 from downtown en route to 14 points.

Bentley shot 52.4% (33-of-63) from the hardwood and 11-of-21 (52.4%) from three point land.

The Falcons began the half using a 7-2 run that was capped off by a Ryan Richmond layup underneath the hoop. On the Ravens next possession, Gittens threw a no look pass to teammate Matt Banton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who promptly knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing to bring the Ravens within two.

Ferguson Duke rolled from the right corner off a pick, drove the lane and put a layup off the glass and in while being fouled in the process. Duke knocked down the free throw attempt to complete the three point play and put his squad ahead by three, 10-7. Banton stroked a three from the wing again this time fed to him by Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) which knotted the game at 10 all.

Duke answered Banton with a jumper to regain the lead for his side and then Banton found Gittens who stoked a three which gave the Ravens their only lead of the game at 13-12 with 15:58 left in the half. Bentley regained the advantage and built the lead to four points until a senior Marvilio Berroa (Bronx, N.Y.) three ball made it a one point game. Following the Berroa long range connection, the Falcons racked up seven straight points to take a 26-18 lead.

An 8-2 Pierce run led by Sandiford who tallied six of the eight points via layups put FPU within one with 6:59 left in the half. The Falcons went on a 15-4 run over the final seven minutes of the half to take a 13 point lead until Gittens made a jumper with four seconds left to head in the half down 11, 48-37.

FPU chipped away at their double-digit deficit and brought it down to single digits, 50-41 as Gittens pounded the rock inside and used a hop step to get to the rack for an easy two. Five straight from Bentley was nearly matched by the Ravens as Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) converted a layup and Lackey scored two after a Gittens offensive carom to bring the Falcons lead to 10, 55-45 with 15:18 left.

Following Lackey's make, both squads swapped free throws as two McDevitt freebies reset the Bentley advantage to 10. The Falcons responded with a 14-4 run using two Matt Barr three-balls to bring their lead up to 20 with 10:46 left. FPU brought their deficit down to 16, but Bentley put the contest away with a 15-4 scoring run and led by 27 with 4:39 to go.

The Ravens head out of Rindge on Tuesday when they travel to Southern New Hampshire University for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off with the Penmen.

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 men's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).