SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 9, 2019)- The Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team had a trio of players score double-digits, but opened its 2019-2020 season with an 85-66 loss to Jefferson University at the AIC Tournament in Springfield, Mass. on Saturday night. 

Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) led the Ravens with 22 points on 7-for-13 from the field including 3-of-7 from three-point range while connecting on all five of his free throw attempts. He also added three rebounds, three assists and a steal on the night.

Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) added 16 points on 53.8% shooting to go with a team-best five assists, and one steal. Meanwhile, Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) added an efficient ten points on 4-of-5 from the field including 2-for-3 from long range. Sean Fasoyiro (Houston, Texas) and Jameson Pierrelus (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) each grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. Fasoyiro also added eight points and a steal while Pierrelus had six points and a block.

DeVaughn Mallory led a quartet of Jefferson Rams in double figures recording a double-double on a game-high 28 points and grabbed 12 caroms to go with a team-best five assists, one steal, and one block. Josh Bradanese added 15 points, four rebounds, a steal, and a block, Kylan Guerra contributed 13 points, nine boards, four assists, and three steals and Ja'zere Noel pitched in 11 points in the win for the Rams. Jefferson also went through the game with only six players as three starters played the whole game.

Turnovers and second-chance points plagued the crimson and grey all night. Jefferson grabbed nine offensive rebounds that lead to 17 second-chance points and they scored 24 points off of 16 Raven turnovers. The Rams also dominated inside outscoring Franklin Pierce 42 to 30 in the paint. All in all, Jefferson shot 50.7% from the field as a team in the victory.

On the other side, the Ravens were at their best shooting the three-ball and in transition. Franklin Pierce connected on 38.5% of their three-point attempts and outscored Jefferson 13 to 2 on the fastbreak.

The teams split the first 14 points of the game and were tied at seven after five minutes of play before the Rams built a lead with a 16-0 run over the next eight minutes before Fadojutimi broke the Franklin Pierce scoring drought by connecting on a jumper. However, the Rams responded by making back-to-back jump shots to extend their lead to 18, their largest of the half. The crimson and grey managed to shave a few points off the Jefferson lead before the intermission but still trailed 40-27 at the break.

As a team, the Ravens shot just 37.9% from the field in the first half and connected on just two of their eleven attempts from long range.

Jefferson and Franklin Pierce split the first 16 points in the second half to make the score 48-35. Then the Ravens found their stroke from three-point range as they connected on four shots from long range as a part of a 17-7 stretch to cut the deficit to three after a triple from Fasoyiro. However, the Rams pulled away with a 17-5 run. Franklin Pierce shot 51.9% from the field including 53.3% from distance in the second half but it was not enough to complete the comeback.

The Ravens will get another shot at their first win of the season when they face Holy Family University for their second game of the AIC Tournament in Springfield, Mass. tomorrow. Tip-off is set for noon.

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/).