PLEASANTVILLE, NY- Mike Demello dropped in a career-high 24 points along with a career-best six triples to help lead the Setters to a 76-62 victory over the Stonehill College Skyhawks in Northeast-10 Conference action.
 
The Setters improve to 5-10 overall and earn their first conference win of the season to move their record to 1-7 in NE-10 play. The Skyhawks fall to 9-5 and 5-4 in conference play.
 
The teams played a competitive first half with the Skyhawks leading by four in the early going. The Setters rallied back to take a 19-13 lead at the 11:38 mark following a Shelton Mickell lay-up. Stonehill answered as they pulled even at 21 and held a two point advantage twice with under six minutes to play.
 
Pace pulled even at 25 for the final tie of the game as Kyle Pearson connected on a jumper. The Setters pushed ahead and a Victor Jusino bucket with 29 seconds left gave Pace a 33-29 lead heading into the break. Pearson found the hot hand early, netting 16 points in the first 20 minutes on 7-for-11 shooting.
 
The Setters stretched their lead as Khalil Brown scored on their first possessions to spark at 14-2 run to begin the second half. Mickell netted eight points in the rally converting a three-point play and a triple while Pearson added a pair of baskets to pull ahead 47-31 with 17:02 left in the game.
 
Pace led by as many as 17 points at 55-38 following a pair of Demello free throws at the 13:09 mark but the Skyhawks slowly chipped away at the Setter lead. Stonehill sliced the score down to eight points as 64-58 with 2:44 to play in the contest. The Setters kept the Skyhawks at bay as Jaylen Mann converted a tip-in on their ensuing possession to push the lead back to double digits. Pace headed to the line in the final two minutes as they went 10-for-14 from the charity stripe to pick up their first conference victory. Demello and Mickell both went 4-for-6, while Pearson converted both of his free throws over that stretch.
 
For the Setters, Pearson and Demello both tallied 24 points in the game with Pearson adding eight caroms. Demello set new career-high in points and triples, while adding five boards, three assists and three steals. Mickell also totaled 20 points for Pace, as he chipped in seven rebounds and four assists.
 
The Setters are back home on Tuesday, January 13 as they welcome the Southern New Hampshire Penmen in an NE-10 match-up at 7:30 pm at the Goldstein Fitness Center.