Seck Produces In Second Stanza Again, Five Ravens Score In Double-Digits During Home Victory Versus Pace

This Franklin Pierce University men's basketball recap is presented by Belletetes

RINDGE, N.H. (January 16, 2019) – For the second straight game, Franklin Pierce University men's basketball junior guard Falu Seck's (Washington, D.C.) elevated his play in the second half scoring 15 of his team-high 20 points leading the Crimson and Grey to an 86-78 victory against Northeast-10 Conference opponent Pace University Wednesday evening at The Fieldhouse. With the win, the Ravens even up their record at 8-8 and improve to 4-5 NE10 while the Setters fall to 10-7, 4-5 NE10.

Seck was one of five Ravens to score in double figures. It was his second consecutive 20 point game and fourth of the season. In all, he shot 7-of-11 (63.6%) from the hardwood and made three three-pointers while handing out four assists and snagging three boards. Teammate Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) tallied 16 markers to go along with a team-high five rebounds and a game-best four blocks. Freshman guard Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) scored 13 points and dished out a game-high five helpers. Jeremy Arthur (Westbury, N.Y.) chipped in 13 points, four assists, and three boards while freshman guard Brandon Kolek (Cumberland, R.I.) added 11 points in 16 minutes of play.

For Pace, Austin Gilbertson carried the load with 23 points and nine rebounds. Forward Peyton Wejnert recorded a double-double 19 points and 10 rebounds – four offensive.  

FPU shot above 50% from the field and 40% from deep for the second straight game. The Ravens capitalized on the 16 Setter turnovers scoring 28 points off their counterparts mistakes.

Fadojutimi absorbed contact, hung in the air and put in the Ravens first shot attempt of the game to lead 2-0. Pace took their first lead 3-2 when Wejnert was hacked in the restricted area while his layup attempt fell. He made the freebie completing the three-point play. Moore answered on the ensuing Raven possession hitting a three-ball pushing Pierce ahead 5-3. Moore continued his strong start assisting on Kolek's catch and shoot trey in the right corner and coming up with a steal and going coast-to-coast for an and1 conversion giving FPU the early two-possession advantage 11-6. Pace pulled within one 13-12 as they successfully broke the Raven press and Martin Mann jammed the rock down with two hands.

Pace moved in the driver's seat 16-15 via an Austin Gilbertson fast break bucket. Gilbertson's lay-in was part of a 9-0 scoring binge that gave the guests their first double-digit edge 21-15. The Ravens took a timeout and Arthur halted the Pace momentum drilling a right-wing three making it a three-point deficit 21-18. The Ravens regained the advantage 22-21 as freshman forward Connor Cullen (Ankeny, Iowa) took a Moore dish and dashed along the baseline for the hoop and harm attempt which he missed. FPU kept on tacking points making it 10 straight markers following Moore's second and1 of the contest giving the hosts a 25-21 edge.

Brandon Jacobs temporarily ended the Raven spurt, but Seck kept it going sinking a set and shoot right corner three off a Moore feed stretching the Raven binge to 13-2 and their lead to five, 28-23. A Wejnert old fashioned three-point play brought the Raven lead to one, 29-28 and FPU made them pay on their next offensive series grabbing three offensive boards, two by sophomore Sam van Oostrum (Sheffield, England) and one from Seck who dished off the final second chance to Fadojutimi who cut baseline for a two-handed slam. Two van Oostrum freebies upped the Ravens lead to six, 35-29. Behind by three, senior Gerard Gray Jr. (Washington, D.C.) floated home a restricted area attempt to regain a five-point advantage, but Jacobs concluded the half converting a tough runner bringing the margin to 37-34 at the intermission.

Kolek tallied the Ravens second half opening eight points manufacturing two three-balls and a running floater in the lane giving FPU a 45-38 lead at the 16:36 mark. Six straight from Pace brought their deficit to 45-44, but the Ravens responded with an 11-2 run of their own, an Arthur trey, a Fadojutimi layup, three Fadojutimi free throws and a Seck three-pointer to lead by nine 55-46. Back-to-back Pace layups made the margin two possessions, 55-50, but Seck hit another long-range attempt, Fadojutimi converted a hoop and harm with the free throw and Seck expanded the Raven edge to 13, 63-50 midway through the final stanza.

An Arthur step back deep range connection increased the Raven lead to a high of 15, 70-55 with 8:31 to play. Pace kept battling dropping their deficit to six, 70-64 via nine consecutive points with Gilbertson contributing six of them. Seck kept attacking the rack slicing through the right side and banking two straight attempts high off the glass to preserve the Ravens advantage at eight, 74-66. Pace free throws, which were part of the 18-5, burst brought the guests within two, 75-73 with 2:12 left to play.

Fadojutimi who's shot came alive in the second half buried a huge three-point conversion from the right corner off a Moore feed and a Raven timeout to up the advantage to five 78-73. Jacobs immediately answered moving the deficit back to three, 78-75 with 1:33 left on the next possession.

Pace called a timeout and pressed the Ravens. FPU broke the press with three passes as sophomore guard Sean Fasoyiro (Houston, Texas) cruised through the left side for an easy bucket reestablishing the two-possession lead 80-75 with 1:25 left. Still ahead by five, the Ravens drew a huge offensive foul that effectively ended the Setters comeback bid.

The Ravens hit the road for the first game of a three-game road trip this Saturday versus the College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://www.fpuravens.com). 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://www.fpuravens.com/store). You can also follow the men's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensMBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpuravensmbb/).