RINDGE, N.H. (January 20, 2018) – Franklin Pierce University men's basketball forward Asante Sandiford scored a game-high 20 points while teammate Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) dropped 19 points to lead the Ravens to their seventh win over their last nine games, an 80-72 victory versus Northeast-10 Conference opponent Adelphi University Saturday afternoon at the Fieldhouse. With the win, the Crimson and Grey improve to 10-7, 5-7 NE10 while the Panthers drop to 6-14, 2-10 NE10.

Sandiford's hot shooting carried over from last game as he connected on 6-of-10 (60.0%) of his shot attempts. He was 4-of-7 (57.1%) from downtown and a perfect 4-of-4 (100.0%) at the line. The senior grabbed seven rebounds, handed out two assists, came up with one steal and blocked one shot. Fadojutimi was also on fire draining 7-of-11 (63.6%) of his attempts and 3-of-5 from long range. He chipped in four rebounds, three helpers, one steal and one block as well.

Team captain Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) fought through an illness to play 26 minutes and score 12 points while coming down with four boards. The Ravens also got production off the bench from freshmen Devonte McCall (Amherst, Mass.) and Sam van Oostrum (Spring Valley, N.Y.) who scored four and five points respectively. McCall snagged seven caroms and blocked two shots while van Oostrum dished off three dimes.

Reserve Tavon Ginyard posted 18 points in 21 minutes off the pine for Adelphi. Franklin Pierce had the more superior post presence notching 38 points in the painted area compared to 20 for the guests. The Birds six offensive rebounds led to 10 second-chance points and they outshot the NE10's leading three-point team 47.8% (11-of-23) to 41.9% (13-of-22) from beyond the arc.

Adelphi began the contest with five straight markers via a spinning low post lay-in and a wing three-pointer by Jack Laffey. The Ravens responded with a 9-0 mini-spurt, which began when Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) came off a screen and sank a trey. Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) cleaned up a missed three-ball then put the rock back up and in for a second chance two. An Austin Beech free throw made the score 9-6, but Sandiford and McDevitt manufactured points which increased the edge to 14-6.

Eight consecutive markers from the guests deadlocked the game at 14 all until Sandiford buried back-to-back three-balls, one off a pick and pop from the right wing and the other at the top of the point to up the lead to six, 20-14. Over the next few possession, the guests took the lead before two Gerard Gray Jr. (Washington, D.C.) layups tied the score at 27-27. Five in a row by Adelphi regained the edge to their side at 32-27, which led to a brief 30-second timeout. Following the stoppage, FPU racked up nine points in a row as McCall tipped home one of his own missed layups and good ball movement led to junior guard David Bradbury (Deep River, Conn.) burying a contested corner three to push the Ravens ahead 36-32. Van Oostrum increased the advantage to five by driving to the right and scooping an attempt off the glass, but Tavon Ginyard drained two freebies with eight seconds left as Adelphi headed into the intermission down by one possession, 40-37.

At the beginning of the second stanza, Adelphi took the lead at 44-42 following a Beech lay-in. After that make, FPU exploded for eight straight markers to move back in the driver's seat at 50-44. Ahead by only one possession, McCall came up with a huge offensive board and kicked the rock out to van Oostrum in the right corner for an open three-ball to expand the edge to seven, 53-46 with 13:35 left. The Ravens took their first double-digit lead of the game at the 10:42 mark when Sandiford and Seck connected on a layup. Doug Chappell answered with a three of his own and about a minute later, Fadojutimi reestablished the double-digit advantage when he poked the ball away from Chappell and went uncontested to the hoop for a two-handed jam. Fadojutimi built the lead to a game-best 13 points by hitting a three-pointer from the corner as Pierce led 68-55 with 8:09 left.

Trailing by 13, Adelphi used a 15-4 spurt to bring their deficit to two, 74-72 with 2:22 to go following a Ginyard spot up downtown connection from the right wing. FPU held Adelphi scoreless the rest of the way as Sandiford iced the game by producing the final six points.

The Ravens leave Rindge and head out on the road for two games this week, the first on Tuesday, January 23 at NE10 opponent the University of New Haven with tip-off slated for 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).