MEN'S BASKETBALL HOLDS OFF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE, 88-82

PACE EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO SIX STRAIGHT

PLEASANTVILLE, NY- The Pace University men's basketball team defeated Northeast-10 Conference foe Southern Connecticut State University, 88-82, tonight at the Goldstein Health, Fitness and Recreation Center on the Pleasantville campus of Pace University. The Setters have now won six straight games and 13 of their last 16 games. They improve to 18-10 overall and 14-6 in the NE-10, while the Owls fall to 7-18 overall and 5-15 in conference play.

Pace built their biggest lead of the first half to 17 with the help of a 21-5 run. Junior Gibraltar White (Gautier, MS/Gautier) (Gautier, MS/Gautier) led the run scoring 12 of the 21 points. White finished the half with 15. Southern Connecticut would answer back with a run of their own, outscoring the Setters 16-to-6 to end the half. Devon Sullivan led the Owl run scoring eight of the 16 points. Sullivan scored 14 points in the first frame. Pace took a seven-point advantage, 38-31, into the half.

The Setters would build their lead back to double-digits in the second half as they used a 21-6 run, taking a 19-point lead, their biggest of the night. Randy Wilson (Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) (Peekskill, NY) and Maurice Douglas (Waldorf, MD/South Maryland Christian) (Waldorf, MD/South Maryland Christian) combined for 13 points in the run, scoring six and seven points respectively. Wilson finished the game with seven points. The Owls showed their resiliency once again as they climbed back from their deficit. Down by 19 with 8:47 remaining in the ballgame, the Owls cut the Setter lead to two points with 2:00 minutes left, using a 24-7 run. Derrick Corbett led the run scoring 11 points. The Setters would hold off any comeback attempt as they finished the game outscoring the visitors 6-to-2.

For Pace, White scored a team-high 23 points going 9-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) added 15 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Ryan Williams (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) contributed with 14 points. Senior Oneil Morgan (Kingston, Jamaica/Excelsior) (Kingston, Jamaica/Excelsior) recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Douglas was the fifth Setter in double figures as he finished the night with 10 points. Freshman Lawrence McGhee (Linden, NJ/Linden) (Linden, NJ/Linden) dished out a game-high seven assists.

Southern Connecticut was led by Devon Sullivan, who scored a game-high 28 points, on 11-for-16 shooting from the field.   Corbett chipped in with 13 points, while Kevin Diffley and Tyrese Sullivan each contributed with 12 points. Danny Miller recorded a game-high 10 rebounds for the Owls.

Pace held the rebounding edge, 46-44. The Setters sweep the season series with the Owls, as Pace defeated Southern Connecticut earlier this season, 84-82 in OT, on January 9 ^th in New Haven, CT.

The Setters return to action on Saturday, February 17 ^th, as they travel to Colchester, VT to take on the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Owls return home on Saturday to host Bryant University.