PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Sophomore guard
Bryan Rivers (West Windsor, NJ/Peddie School) followed up an offensive rebound with a layup with just 29 seconds left in the game to give the Pace University men's basketball team the lead for good, as the Setters defeated Le Moyne College in their Northeast-10 Conference opener, 65-60, Saturday afternoon at the Goldstein Fitness Center. The win improves the Setters to 2-2 on the year and 1-0 in NE-10 play, while the Dolphins drop to 2-2 and 1-1 against the conference.
The Setters trailed by three with 1:09 left on the clock after a pair of free throws by Russell Sangster. Sophomore forward
Victor Jusino (Morris Plains, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) followed that up with a good jumper from the corner to get back within one. On the next Le Moyne possession, freshman guard
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) forced a turnover, leading to Rivers' game-winning lay-in that put the Setters up, 61-60.
Sangster was called for an offensive foul the next time the Dolphins had the ball, and Tanner Hyland was called for a foul after the ensuing inbound, sending senior guard
Shelton Mickell (Queens, NY/Cardozo / Central Connecticut State) to the line. Mickell made both of his chances to improve the lead to three. The Setters forced another miss by the Dolphins on their next possession, leading to two more free throws for senior forward
Kyle Pearson (Woodbridge, NJ/Woodbridge / Fairleigh Dickinson University), who made both to ice the game at 65-60.
After his winning layup, Rivers finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists for a solid outing in the win. Jusino led the Setters with 15 points in the game. Pearson turned in a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards on the evening. Mickell finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while also dishing out three assists. Peterson rounded up a complete effort by the starting five with 11 points and seven boards.
The Setters trailed for much of the game, but never fell behind by more than five. Trailing 26-21 with 4:37 to play before halftime, Rivers came up with a big three to get the Setters back within two. Tyquan Rolon made a jumper to put the Dolphins back up by four, but Rivers immediately followed with another trey to bring Pace within one. The game was tied at 34-34 with under a minute before the break, but a pair of free throws by Russell sent Le Moyne to the locker room up by two.
The Setters took their first lead of the second half at the 13:17 mark when Mickell drained a three to put them up, 43-41. Le Moyne took the lead back on a three by Hyland at the 11:25 mark, and they led until Rivers' layup with 29 second remaining.
Rolon turned in a double-double for the Dolphins with 15 points and 11 boards. Hyland contributed 13 points, while Sangster scored eight and pulled down five rebounds.
The Setters outrebounded the Dolphins, 45-29, including 14 offensive boards in Saturday's victory. The Setters also made 7-of-17 three-pointers (41.2 percent) in the game.
The Setters get back to work on Tuesday, Nov. 24, when they visit the College of Saint Rose for another NE-10 matchup. The game is set to begin following the women's matchup at 7:30 p.m.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
