PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y.- The Setters used a 14-4 run to lift Pace down the stretch to a 71-67 win over the Warriors of Merrimack College in Northeast-10 Conference action. Pace improves to 9-9 overall and 7-7 in the NE-10, while the Warriors fall to 9-9 and 6-8 in conference play.
The Setters jumped out to an early five-point lead in the first five minutes of play. Merrimack rallied to tie the score at 13 and the teams traded points over the next eight minutes. Pace held a slim 29-27 lead with four minutes to play and closed the half strong as they used a 7-2 run to build as 36-29 lead at the break.
The Warriors chipped away at the Pace lead to start the second half and pulled even at 44 with 12 minutes to play in the game. Merrimack pushed ahead by six points at 54-48 with 9:20 to play in the game. The Setters sliced the score to two points but the Warriors added to their lead with 6:26 left in the at 59-53.
Pace answered the bell as they used a decisive 14-4 run as junior Keon Williams (Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack/Iona College) (Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack/Iona College) took over the game. Williams scored 10 of Pace's 14 points in the rally as the Setters flipped the score to take a 67-63 lead with 51 seconds left to play. The Setters headed to the line in the final 30 seconds as Kai Smith (Upper Marlboro, MD/St. Mary's Ryken) (Upper Marlboro, MD/St. Mary's Ryken) went 3-for-4, while Denzel Primus-Devonish (Riverdale, MD/St. John's College) (Riverdale, MD/St. John's College) hit 1-of-2 from the line as Pace held off the Warriors to snap their four-game losing streak.
For Pace, Williams posted his best game of the season with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Jonathan Merceus (Union, NJ/Union) was again a force in the paint as he tallied 17 points and nine rebounds. Smith finished with 12 points and five rebounds, while Primus-Devonish totaled nine points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals.
The Setters return to action on Saturday, January 28 as Pace will travel to Easton, MA for a Northeast-10 Conference game against the Skyhawks of Stonehill College at 3:30 pm.
