MANCHESTER, N.H. (November 11, 2017) –  All five starters scored in double-figures which included senior forward Jordan Lackey's (South Plainfield, N.J.) game-high 21 points as the Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team began their 2017-18 campaign with a 78-61 win versus Goldey-Beacom College Saturday evening at the first day of the Southern New Hampshire University Tournament in Manchester, N.H. With the win, the Ravens sky to 1-0 on the young season while the Lightning drop to 0-1 in the early going.

19 of Lackey's 21 markers came in the first half of play. He was virtually un-guardable as he converted 8-of-10 (80.0%) from the floor and 3-of-5 (60.0%) from beyond-the-arc. Lackey snagged five rebounds and handed out one assist as well.

Team captain Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) had a strong opening showing as he recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and a contest-best 11 boards. Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) was extremely productive in his 35 minutes of play as he finished with 13 points, five rebounds, a game-high four assists, one steal and one block. Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) and Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) tallied 11 and 10 points apiece.

Franklin Pierce shot at a high clip all game as they made 56.5% (26-of-46) of their shot attempts compared to their counterparts 31.4% (22-of-70) showing. The Crimson and Grey also outrebounded the Lightning by a 42-to-32 margin. However, FPU turned the ball over 28 times in the contest as GB forced the Ravens into some mistakes early in the second stanza.

Leading the Lightning was junior guard Corey Taite who racked up 15 points, six caroms, three assists and three thefts. Dante Thompson did most of his damage in the low post, as he was the only other double-digit scorer on the Goldey Beacom side with 10 points, a team-high six rebounds, and four helpers.

The Ravens began their season with a 25-4 run over the opening 10 and a half minutes of the duel. Lackey scored the first points of the season by draining a three from the right wing. Fadojutimi came up with a steal on the next possession and converted a fast-break layup. Sandiford and Lackey added to the lead with two straight layups as the Lightning took a quick 30-second timeout hoping to stop the Ravens momentum.  

Following the timeout, Lackey added to the binge as he hit another trey from the left corner. GB junior guard Mahir Johnson finally got his squad on the board as he drained a jumper for their first points of the year. About 20 seconds later, Seck poured in a transition three-ball to push the Ravens ahead 15-2. GB's dry spell continued as McDevitt converted a wide-open baseline jumper to increase the Ravens lead to 17-2. Raven freshman guard Sam van Oostrum (Sheffield, England) gave a handoff pass to Seck on the left wing and he drained another three to continue the Ravens hot stretch. Sandiford split a pair of freebies then Lackey and McDevitt converted layups to cap the Ravens impressive run.

The Lightning cut the lead to a first-half low 13 as Troy Stancil drained a three to make the score 29-16. FPU responded with a 13-2 run capped off by a Lackey coast-to-coast finish to push the Raven advantage to 40-18 with 3:17 to play before the break. Both squads swapped four points each as the Ravens doubled up the Lightning 44-22 at the intermission.

The Ravens absolutely dominated the first half as they converted 57.7% (15-of-26) of their shot attempts, which included a 45.4% (5-of-11) mark from deep. They also outrebounded their counterparts by a 22-to-17 margin.

A 15-6 Goldey-Beacom run in the second half to cut the Ravens lead to 13. GB came out of the locker room and used a full-court press during which led to their success in forcing the Ravens into some uncharacteristic mistakes. With around 12 minutes to play, Thompson began to put his body on the line as he took a couple of charges just above the restricted area under the rack. GB eventually cut the lead to nine following a charge call and two freebies by Stancil. The Lightning continued to strike as they brought the Raven advantage all the way down to two, 53-51 as Taite converted a layup with 8:37 to go.

On the next trip down the floor for FPU, Sandiford used his body in the post to make it a two-possession game. Taite missed a jumper and FPU ran down the court as Lackey received the ball on left wing off a feed by Fadojutimi. Lackey drove from the left into the paint and lofted a floater that swished through the net while he was fouled. Lackey missed the freebie as FPU was ahead by six, 57-51. GB went down the court in transition for an easy two following the missed free throw. Thompson then powered down low, corralled a missed layup and made his own attempt to once again make it a one-possession game with 6:42 left in the contest.

Following a Lightning timeout, McDevitt posted up on the low block and banked in a layup to move the lead to 59-55. Two possessions later, McDevitt faked a pass to the top of the key and promptly sunk a three-ball from the right wing to put the Ravens ahead by five, 62-57 with 5:07 left in regulation. Thompson used his post presence once again as he made another layup in the paint with 4:13 left in the game. Fadojutimi answered the bell on the next possession as McDevitt fed him a pass while he was doubled to his teammate wide open in the right corner and he made the huge three to push the Ravens ahead 65-59.

Raven junior guard Amanie Craddock (Spring Valley, N.Y.) stole the rock away and made an outlet pass to Fadojutimi who hung in the air while fouled and banked his shot attempt off the glass. Fadojutimi converted the and1 as the Ravens led 68-59 with 3:25 to go. Seck put the game away as he anticipated a pass and cherry-picked Taite, which led to a wide-open layup that pushed the Ravens lead to 71-59. Franklin Pierce, who led by two with 4:13 left, ended the game on a 15-2 run.

The Ravens remain on the road as they begin Northeast-10 Conference play when they head to interstate opponent Saint Anslem College on Wednesday at 7:30 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).