Jo. Leedham leads Ravens to key NE-10 and regional victory with 26 points

RINDGE, N.H. (February 5, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 23rd in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll and third in the NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, collected a key Conference and in-region victory with a 65-56 decision over Bryant University, ranked sixth in the region, in Northeast-10 women’s basketball action at the Fieldhouse tonight.

With the win, Franklin Pierce moves into sole possession of second place in the Northeast-10 standings, staying a half game behind first place and 16th-ranked Stonehill College (13-3) and a half game ahead of both idle Assumption College (12-4) and Bentley College (12-4). The Ravens are now 7-2 this season against regionally-ranked opponents.

Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) led the way again for Franklin Pierce with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field, including 1-of-2 three-pointers, and converting 7-of-9 free-throws to go with six assists and six rebounds. Classmate Jess McPherson (Croydon, Australia) added a career-best 14 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots, while senior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) chipped in eight points, a game-high eight rebounds and two steals.

Sophomore Kelsey O’Keefe (Warren, Mass./Quaboag) was the lone Bryant player in double-figures with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field, including 3-5 from three-point range, to go with five assists and two blocked shots. Senior Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield, Mass./Smith Academy) contributed nine points, five rebounds and five assists, while freshman Kelli Reynolds (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) chipped in eight points and six rebounds off the bench.

Franklin Pierce held its sixth-straight opponent under 40-percent shooting and its third-straight under 35-percent as Bryant hit just 31.7-percent (19-for-60) of its shots from the field, including 8-for-23 (34.8%) from three-point range. The Ravens shot 42.3-percent (22-for-52) from the field, including 45.8% (11-24) in the second half to break away. Franklin Pierce posted a 23-12 scoring advantage in points off turnovers despite committing two more miscues (18-16) than Bryant.

The game was even (29-29) at halftime after a first half that featured six ties and eight lead changes. Franklin Pierce came out firing in the second half, scoring the first nine points over the opening 3:35 of the stanza. Leedham scored four points during that stretch and added an assist.

While the Ravens wouldn’t trail again, working its lead to 12 points after a McPherson lay-up with 14:19 to play, Bryant used a 16-6 rally over the next ten minutes to creep back within two points (49-47) after an O’Keefe three with 5:58 to play. Franklin Pierce’s lead was three (52-49) after two free-throws from Bryant sophomore Courtney Schermerhorn (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) with 3:37 left, when the Ravens reeled off an 11-2 stretch to regain their 12-point bulge (63-51) after two Leedham free-throws with 48-seconds on the clock. Franklin Pierce canned 8-of-10 free-throws over the final 82-seconds to seal its third-straight victory.

Franklin Pierce (18-4, 13-4 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it visits Saint Anselm College at 1:30 p.m. The Ravens return home on Saturday, February 16, to host Merrimack College at 1:30 p.m. Bryant (14-8, 9-8 NE-10) hosts American International College, ranked ninth in the region, on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.