SYRACUSE, NY – The Pace University men's basketball team battled back from a halftime deficit to force overtime, but eventually were upended in heartbreaking fashion, 87-79 in double overtime by Northeast-10 Conference foe, Le Moyne.

The Setters (2-6, 1-4 NE-10) placed four players in double figure scoring, led by senior guard Denzel Primus-Devonish (Riverdale, MD/St. John's College) (Riverdale, MD/St. John's College) who scored 20 points and grabbed four steals. Sophomore forward Jaylen Mann (Youngstown, OH/Liberty) (Youngstown, OH/Liberty) came away with 19 points, shooting 8-for-14 from the field. Sophomore guard Nick Jackson (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) chipped in with 12 points off the bench and senior forward Jonathan Merceus (Union, NJ/Union) recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Trailing 35-31 at halftime, Pace tied things up just 1:18 into the second stanza as three-pointers from Primus-Devonish and Mann sandwiched a layup by the Dolphins' Ryan Romich to knot the game at 38-38. After Le Moyne (5-3, 3-1 NE-10) took a 50-45 lead on a pair of free throws by Nate Champion with 12:27 remaining, the Setters needed just more than three minutes to rip off an 11-4 run, capped by a Jackson triple, to take a 56-54 lead at the 9:16 mark.

The two teams traded baskets during the next five minutes before Pace opened up a 65-59 advantage on a Mann trey with 4:20 remaining. The Dolphins were able to battle back, however, and both teams missed opportunities to win in the final 17 seconds as the game went to overtime, tied at 67-67.

Things started well for the Setters in the first overtime session. After Champion hit from long distance on the first Le Moyne offensive set, Primus-Devonish hit a three-pointer on the first Pace possession. The senior then stole the ball on the ensuing inbound and dished it to Merceus who made the layup and was fouled. Merceus would convert the free throw for a 73-70 Setters lead. After the two teams traded buckets the remainder of the extra session, Champion drained a pair of free throws to send things to a second overtime tied at 76-76.

Pace returns to action on Tuesday, December 10, when they will face off against NE-10 rival American International in Springfield, MA. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 tip-off.