RINDGE, N.H. (January 4, 2020) – A trio of players scored double figures as the Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team held off the Saint Michael's College Purple Knights on Saturday afternoon at the Fieldhouse, 77-74. Sophomore forward Maxwell Zegarowski (South Hamilton, Mass.) led all scorers in the Northeast-10 Conference affair, and set a new career-high in the process with 21 points.

With the victory, Franklin Pierce has won five of its last six games and improved to 8-4 (3-2 NE10). Saint Michael's fell to 3-9 (0-5 NE10) with the loss. The win was the 300th for David Chadbourne as head coach of the men's team at Franklin Pierce. He also had 63 victories at the helm of the women's team from 1996-99, and now has 363 total wins as a collegiate head coach.

Zegarowski was joined in double figures by senior guards Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) and Falu Seck (Washington D.C.). Fadojutimi tallied 17 points to reach double figures for the 12^th consecutive game to open the season. He also had two assists, two steals and a block. Seck finished with 16 points on the day. Both Ravens also secured a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) dished out a game-high seven assists.

The Purple Knights were led by freshman forward Kasai Brown, who recorded 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while blocking four shots on the defensive end. Freshman forward Jalen Gorham added 14 points and five rebounds off the bench and senior forward Eli DiGrande pitched in 11 points for Saint Michael's.

The game started with a scramble, as neither team could secure the opening tip off until the Purple Knights eventually corralled it, but it was immediately stolen by Fadojutimi. He got the ball to Seck, who was fouled and opened the scoring by hitting one of two free throws. Saint Michael's got on the board a couple possessions later, as junior forward Walker Storey connected on a three-pointer. Those points would be the only points the Purple Knights managed over the first five-and-a-half minutes, while the Ravens went on an 11-0 run to open a 12-3 advantage.

Junior forward Jason Heter finally ended the Saint Michael's scoring drought by connecting on a pair of free throws. The visitors proceeded to chip away at the lead over the next eight minutes of play and four straight free throws by Brown would even up the score at 20-20. Fadojutimi gave the Ravens the lead back with a triple on the ensuing possession, but Storey answered with a layup. Brown then connected on back-to-back three pointers to give the Purple Knights a five-point advantage. The Ravens climbed back and retook the lead on a Fadojutimi trifecta with just over one-minute left in the half, and the home team held a 36-34 advantage at the half.

Brown led all players with 14 points for the Purple Knights in the first half, while Fadojutimi paced the Ravens with 13.

Saint Michael's opened the second half with a three-point play by Thomas Jackson III and that sparked a 10-0 run to open the second frame. The run gave the Purple Knights an eight-point advantage that would be their largest of the night. Fadojutimi ended the run and scored the Ravens' first points of the second half on a three-pointer just under three minutes in. This spurred an 8-0 run by the Ravens to tie the game again at 44-44.

Saint Michael's answered with another run and scored 10 of the next 12 points to lead 54-46. Zegarowski then made the first of his four triples of the half as the crimson and grey began chipping away at the lead. Zegarowski connected on another trifecta with 6:15 left in the half to tie the game again at 63-63. Brown and Zegarowski then traded three-pointers before Gorham made a layup with under four-and-a-half minutes to play in the game to give Saint Michael's a two-point advantage.

Neither team scored over the next 90 seconds, until junior guard Sean Fasoyiro (Houston, Texas) connected on a jumper to even the game at 68-68 with just under three minutes remaining. Gorham followed by making a pair of free throws, then Zegarowski tied the game for the seventh and final time of the matchup with a pair of makes from the charity stripe. Gorham went back to the line and made another pair to give the Purple Knights a two-point advantage and their final lead of the afternoon.

With just over a minute remaining, the Ravens took the lead for good, as Zegarowski made another three to put Franklin Pierce ahead, 73-72. Fasoyiro followed with a jumper to extend the lead to three. Brown answered with a layup to get within one again, before Zegarowski rounded out his 18-point second half by making two free throws with two seconds remaining. The potential game-tying half court heave by Gorham hit the front rim and then the backboard but did not go down as the Ravens held on to the victory.

Franklin Pierce will continue their Northeast-10 schedule as they travel to duel with in-state rival Southern New Hampshire University on Wednesday night at 7:30.

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 (https://shopfpuravens.com). You can also follow the men's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensMBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpuravensmbb/).