THE BASICS
-Score: Franklin Pierce University 86, Assumption College 78
-Records: Assumption (4-2, NE10 1-1), Franklin Pierce (3-2, NE10 1-1)
-Location: Rindge, New Hampshire
-The Lead: The Assumption College men's basketball team was edged by the Ravens of Franklin Pierce University on the road on Tuesday night. After the Hounds led by as many as 12 points in the first half, Franklin Pierce fought back to trail by just two at halftime. The Ravens went on the lead by as many as 11 in the second half before capturing the final 86-78 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Ravens opened up play on a 5-1 run to pull ahead by eight early in the first half. Senior Falu Seck kicked the game off with a basket from behind the arc and his classmate Doyin Fadojutimi added one from three-point range for the 12-2 lead. The Hounds rallied back with seven points in a row, capped off with a three by senior Branislav Vujadinovic (Belgrade, Serbia / St. Joseph) to pull within three with 15:40 on the clock, 12-9. After the Ravens regained a six-point lead, red-shirt junior Malik Brown (Waldorf, Md. / Northpoint) and junior Matthew Kelly (North Potomac, Md. / Quince Orchard) put up back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 22-22.
-Sophomore Cal Connelly (Rochester, N.H. / Spaulding / Tilton) gave Assumption their first lead of the game when freshman Saxon Thompson (Allen, Texas / The Episcopal School of Dallas / Wilbraham & Monson Acad.) dished him the ball out behind the arc and he sank the three for the 27-25 lead with 11:07 on the clock. The Hounds continued the momentum into a 6-0 run to take a 12-point lead with just under seven minutes to play in the first half (39-27).
-The Ravens battled back to tie the game a 45-45 with 33 seconds to go. The 12-point rally started with a three by sophomore Brandon Kolek and Fadojutimi added a basket from behind the arc in the run. Senior Patrick Fleming (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. / Iona Prep) made a drive to the basket before the buzzer to give the Hounds the 47-45 edge heading into the halftime break.
-Brown led the Hounds through the first 20 minutes with 11 points and Jordan White (Prince Frederick, Md. / Clinton Christian School) added 10 points and seven rebounds. Fadojutimi led the Ravens with 15 points in the first half.
-Assumption pulled ahead by four at the start of the second half, but the Ravens pulled together to take an eight-point lead with 11:12 to play, 69-61. Seck made a three to push Franklin Pierce's point total to 80 as they took the 11-point lead with 4:07 to play, 80-69. The Hounds pulled within six on a three from Vujadinovic with 1:16 on the clock, but the Ravens held on for the final 86-78 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
-Assumption finished the night shooting 38.6% from the field and 29% from behind the arc. They went 15-for-21 at the free throw line, grabbed 51 total rebounds, and dished out 15 assists.
-The Ravens shot 42.3% from field goal range and 43.8% from three-point range in the victory. The went 6-for-7 at the charity stripe, pulled down 42 total rebounds, and added 20 assists on the night.
-The Hounds finished with 14 turnovers while Franklin Pierce turned the ball over eight times. The Ravens collected 18 points off of turnovers.
-Brown finished the night with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kelly led the Hounds in scoring with 18 points to go along with six rebounds. Connelly put up 13 points and White finished with 12 points for Assumption.
-Seck finished the night with a game-high 20 points to lead Franklin Pierce to victory. Fadojutimi was right behind him with 19 points and nearly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Sophomore Isaiah Moore added 17 points for the hosts while first year Sean Bresnan rounded our double-digit scoring with 13 points.
UP NEXT
-The Hounds host Stonehill College in NE10 action on Sunday, December 1st at 3:30 p.m.