WILLIAMS' 27 LIFTS PACE OVER ASSUMPTION, 81-75, ON SENIOR NIGHT
SETTERS END REGULAR SEASON ON A 5-GAME WINNING STREAK;
CLINCH FOURTH SEED IN NE-10 CONFERNECE TOURNAMENT

PLEASANTVILLE, NY - Senior guard Ryan Williams (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Pace University men's basketball team over the visiting Greyhounds of Assumption College, 81-75, in a key Northeast-10 Conference match-up tonight at the Goldstein Health, Fitness & Recreation Center. With their win, the Setters (14-13/13-9 NE-10) end the regular season on a five-game winning streak and lock up the fourth seed, as well as a first round bye, in the upcoming conference tournament. The Greyhounds end the regular season with a 20-9 overall record, 14-8 in conference play, earning the third seed and first round bye in the upcoming NE-10 tournament. Williams and his classmates Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) (Rye, NY/Rye) and Gibraltar White (Gautier, MS/Gautier) (Gautier, MS/Gautier) were honored before the game as part of senior day celebrations.

Williams shot 7-for-18 from the field, including going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line for his game-best 27 points. Quincy-Jones added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while sophomore Carlos Howard (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga College High) (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga College High) finished with 11 points, all in the first half. White was the fourth Setter in double figures with 10 points.

Assumption had five players score in double digits led by sophomore Courtland Bluford's (Fort Washington, MD) team-high 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor, including 3-for-5 from three. Bluford also grabbed eight rebounds on the night. Junior Patrick Shea (Salem, MA) added 14 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Mike Baldarelli (Sutton, MA) chipped in with 13 points coming off the bench. Seniors Mike Foti (Franklin, MA) and Corey Diethorn (Pittsburgh, PA) contributed with 11 points apiece. Diethorn also brought down a game-high 10 rebounds for the double-double.

The first half featured a tight battle as both teams looked to separate themselves from the other. Assumption led for much of the half as Quincy-Jones' jumper at the 9:00 mark gave Pace its first lead of the game, 22-21. The Greyhounds' largest lead of the half was six, on multiple occasions, while the Setters used an 11-0 run to build their largest lead of the half to nine, 33-24, with 5:45 left, after being down by two. Howard led the run scoring five of the 11 points. Assumption spent the rest of the half cutting their deficit and eventually tying the game at 39, on a three-pointer by Mitch Bajema (Whitinsville, MA) with 1:08 remaining, but Williams' three-pointer with just five seconds left before the buzzer gave Pace a three point advantage, 42-39, heading into the break.

The Greyhounds came out of the locker rooms firing as they scored the first eight points of the second half and would eventually push their advantage to double digits. Assumption would lead by as many as 12 points, 61-49, with 9:51 remaining in the game, with the help of a 14-4 run. The Setters began to chip away at their deficit and would eventually tie the game for just the third time at 67 with 5:22 left and would then take their first lead since their halftime advantage with 4:41 remaining, 69-67.  After the teams traded baskets and lead changes, Pace would pull away scoring the final seven points of the game, icing the game down the stretch hitting their free throws and using key defensive stops.

The Setters return to action this Monday, March 3rd, as Pace will play host to a quarterfinal match of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament, as they will take on the winner of the #5 Stonehill College/#12 American International College first round match-up. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with time subject to change.