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

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 20, 2019) – Franklin Pierce University men's basketball junior guard Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) racked up a team-high 25 points as the Ravens upended Northeast-10 Conference opponent Assumption College 81-76 Wednesday evening at the Laska Gymnasium.

With the win, the Ravens (14-12, 10-9 NE10) remain in fourth place in the NE10's Northeast Division with two games to play. They are one game behind Bentley University (18-8, 11-8 NE10) for the third seed and travel to the Falcons next Tuesday for the regular season finale. FPU holds a two-game edge over fifth place Stonehill College (14-12, 8-11 NE10) who owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Ravens and sixth-seeded Southern New Hampshire University (12-12, 8-11 NE10). A win over the Penmen on Saturday would clinch a playoff berth for FPU and a postseason home game on Friday, March 1st.

Fadojutimi tallied 15 of his 25 markers in the second half. He knocked down 8-of-11 (72.7%) from the hardwood 3-of-4 (75%) from beyond the arc and was an unblemished 6-of-6 (100%) at the line. He also collected a team-high six boards and came up with two steals and blocked one shot.

Graduate forward Jeremy Arthur (Westbury, N.Y.) was 0-of-3 in the first half shooting but knocked down 5-of-6 (83.3%) attempts in the second stanza. Junior guard Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) chipped in 12 points of his own. Making his return to the starting lineup, Lolami Lola-Charles (Aberdeen, Md.) had six points and six boards in 19 minutes of play.

For the Greyhounds, Matthew Kelly racked up a game-best 26 points, Damien Rance produced 23 markers a game-high eight rebounds – three offensive, and three assists.

FPU shot 53.6% (30-for-56) compared to Assumption's 45.9% (28-of-61) efficiency. Franklin Pierce also never trailed in the contest.

Reigning NE10 Rookie of the Week Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) began the game with a bucket giving the Ravens an early 2-0 lead. Rance moved the hounds ahead 3-2 via a deep range connection. Two possessions later, Seck drove left side to regain the Ravens lead at 4-3. Fadojutimi came up with a theft and outlet passed the ball to a wide open Seck for a fast break score. Seck tallied his sixth point of the first four minutes with another drive towards the rack making it an 8-3 game. Fadojutimi and Bryan Boehlert traded treys as the Ravens still remained in front 11-7. Another Fadojutimi three-ball from the left corner made it 14-7 in favor of the Ravens.

With a 14-9 lead and the shot clock winding down, Pierce forward Jameson Pierrelus (Martin County, Fla.) was fouled on the right wing while he put up a three-point attempt. The junior transfer student's long-range attempt was true and he made the freebie increasing the Raven edge to 18-9. On the next Raven possession, Pierrelus used a turnaround jumper on the right block to open up the first double-digit lead of the game 20-9.

Following an Assumption timeout, the Ravens played solid perimeter defense and Fadojutimi poked the ball away from Malik Brown and slammed down a two-handed dunk to give the Ravens a 26-13 advantage with 7:36 to play before the break. A Michael Speight jumper and a Brown restricted area lay-in dropped their deficit to nine, 26-17. Moore immediately increased the lead back to 11 via a right-handed floater in the lane. Four straight by the Hounds dropped the Raven lead to seven 28-21 and led to a Raven timeout.

After the stoppage, freshman forward Connor Cullen (Ankeny, Iowa) manufactured an and1 sinking a restricted area layup and the freebie to up the edge back to double-figures. Cullen then tallied another bucket following a Raven stop making the margin 33-21 with 2:52 left before the break. Assumption recorded a 9-2 run to close the half which included a Rance left-handed dunk and a Kelly hoop and harm with seven seconds left to pull the Hounds within five 35-30.

A 6-2 Raven start to the second half capped off by a Lola-Charles layup put Pierce ahead 41-32 two minutes in. At the 13:33 mark another Fadojutimi trey brought the Raven margin back to double-figures 54-43. The Hounds went on a 10-2 binge to make the score 56-53 with 9:12 left.

The Ravens held a slim three-point advantage until two Lola-Charles second chance layups down low and a Fadojutimi strong take grew the margin back to nine 62-53 with 7:51 remaining. Two Rance freebies and a Kelly offensive board layup assisted by Rance brought it to a five-point battle 62-57 with 6:49 to go.

Assumption used a timeout and the Ravens got a stop. Seck corralled the rock at half court and played the isolation game hauling to the rack for the potential and1, but he failed to knock down the free throw increasing the advantage to 64-57. Kelly ran into the paint and drained a step-back jumper on the elbow keeping it a two-possession game 64-59. Arthur upped the edge to eight 67-59 connecting on a trailer three on the right wing.

Brown was fouled by Cullen and went to the line with 4:29 left. He went one-of-two at the line, snagged the loose rock after his second attempt and put the ball into the twine bringing the game to a 67-62 score. It did not stay that close for long as Arthur hit another downtown shot pushing Pierce ahead 70-62. Assumption came within three, 72-69 via a 7-2 spurt with Kelly notching a hoop and harm. Under two minutes remained when Moore put his squad up six, 75-69 knocking down a step back three on the left wing with seconds to go on the shot clock. The Ravens made their free throws holding to fend off their counterparts.

The Ravens return home for Senior Day on Saturday when they host conference and interstate rival Southern New Hampshire University for a 3:30 p.m. duel.

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/).