Spread Out Scoring Key in Conference Victory at Assumption

WORCESTER, Mass. (December 10, 2017) – The balanced offensive attack of the Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team once again led the Ravens to a 76-65 victory versus Northeast-10 Conference opponent Assumption College Sunday afternoon at the Laska Gymnasium. With the win, Franklin Pierce moves to 4-5, 2-5 NE10 and the loss sends the Greyhounds to 1-9, 0-7 NE10.

Four of five starters recorded double-digit points including senior forward Mike McDevitt's (Cumberland, Maine) team-leading tally (18 points). Sophomore guard Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) poured in 16 points, a personal-best nine boards with two blocks and two steals. Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) added 14 points, a squad-high seven assists, five caroms and two thefts. Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds while Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) matched a career-high with five assists.

Assumption freshman point guard Matthew Kelly ripped off 6-of-7 (85.7%) three-pointers en route to a career-high 28 points. Patrick Fleming dished off eight assists and scored 12 points. The Ravens drained 49.1% (28-of-57) of their shots from the hardwood and were 84.6% (11-of-13) at the line. Franklin Pierce controlled the contest, as there were only two ties and two lead changes over the course of the game.

McDevitt connected on a wide-open corner three from the right side to open the scoring for Pierce on their first possession. Seck added to the Ravens edge with a three-ball of his own as FPU pushed ahead 6-2. Assumption came within one point as Jordan Shea buried a transition three at the 17:53 mark. Following a McDevitt lay-in, Kelly and Seck continued the early assault from deep with back-to-back treys as the Ravens held a three-point lead.

With the Ravens trailing by two, Seck dished the rock to an open Sean Fasoyiro (Houston, Texas) straight away in the left corner for a long-range connection. Lackey came up huge on the defensive end with a stuff that resulted in a Devonte McCall (Amherst, Mass.) driving two as FPU charged back ahead 18-15. A Lackey freebie and a McDevitt layup after a Seck theft upped the Ravens edge to six and their run to seven straight m­arkers.

Two Joe Sullivan free throws and a Kelly lay-in dropped the deficit to four, 23-19. Over the final eight minutes of the half, Franklin Pierce outscored Assumption 9-4 to hold a double-digit 34-23 advantage at the break.

Fadjoutimi started the second half using a three-pointer to increase the Rave advantage to 14, 37-23. Five consecutive points by the hosts which included a Kelly three cut the Greyhound deficit to nine. McDevitt and Seck responded with two deep conversions of their own to re-establish a 15-point Crimson and Grey edge.

Sandiford followed a missed Lackey layup and tipped the loose ball home to give the Ravens their largest lead to that point in the game at 47-30. Six straight for the hosts once again brought the FPU advantage down to 11. Franklin Pierce busted out an 11-3 scoring spurt capped off by a McDevitt layup and jumper which reestablished the multiple-possession lead. Eight in a row by Assumption brought the deficit back down to 11, but FPU restored the large edge and put the game away before a last-ditch three by Fleming capped the scoring for a 76-65 final.

The Ravens head back to the court on Saturday for the first day of the AIC Holliday Classic in Springfield, Mass. against Bloomfield at 6:00 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 men's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).