MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO FRANKLIN PIERCE 87-84

PLEASANTVILLE, NY- The Pace University Men's Basketball team lost to Franklin Pierce, 87-84, as the Ravens Darryl Minnifield hit a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining in the game. The Setters drop to 3-4 overall, 1-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while Franklin Pierce ups its record to 4-2, 2-1 in conference play.

The Ravens took the lead early on the Setters as Minnifield hit a pair of free throws to give Franklin Pierce a 15-7 lead midway through the opening period. Pace rallied to tie the score at 16 as Ryan Williams (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) nailed a three-pointer and Randy Wilson (Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) (Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) scored four points in a 9-1 run. Franklin Pierce responded with a 19-8 run to open up a 12-point lead late in first half. Pace cut the Raven to nine points and trailed 43-34 at the break.

In the second half, Franklin Pierce once again opened up a double-digit lead as Jack Barrett hit a pair of three-pointers, while Sean Mayo converted two lay-ups as the Ravens led 61-44 with 14:15 left in the game.  The Setters responded with a 23-7 run as Williams hit a three-pointer, while Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) (Rye, NY/Rye) scored six points to rally Pace. The run was capped by a three-pointer by Carlos Howard (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga College High) (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga College High) to cut the Ravens lead to 68-67 with 9:43 left in the game.

Minnifield extended the Ravens lead to six following a three-pointer and a 1-for-2 effort at charity stripe. The Setters once again rallied to tie the game at 76 as Quincy-Jones converted two three-point plays to tie the game with 5:44 left to go. After exchanging points over the ensuing possessions, the Ravens Marcus Wellman scored on a lay-up to put Franklin Pierce up three with 3:17 left. The Setters' Williams led Pace back once again as he nailed a three-pointer to tie the game and hit a two-point jumper to put Pace up 83-81 with just over two minutes left in the game.

Mayo converted on a three-point play to put the Ravens back up one with 1:47 left. On the ensuing Pace possession, Quincy-Jones went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to once again tie the score for the fifth time of the final period. With time winding down in the game, Minnifield nailed a three-pointer to put the Ravens up by three. A final three-point effort by the Setters' Williams failed to hit its mark and the Ravens escaped with an 87-84 victory.

For the Setters, Williams scored a game-high 27 points, shooting 8-for-19 from the field and 6-for-11 from long range, while adding five assists. Qunicy-Jones chipped in 16 points and eight boards, while Wilson finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Lawrence McGhee tallied game-high in assists with six and steals with five. For the Ravens, Wellman scored a team-high 22 points, while grabbing eight rebounds and handing out four assists. Minnifield added 18 points, while Barrett scored 17.

The Setters return to action when they travel to Manchester, NH to face Northeast-10 Conference opponent Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday, December 2 for a 3:30 pm tip-off.