PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The entire starting five of the Pace University men's basketball team scored in double-digits on Sunday, but it was not enough as the Setters fell to Concordia College (N.Y.), 88-79, in non-conference action at the Goldstein Fitness Center. Both teams move to 2-4 on the season after the game.
Sophomore forward
Victor Jusino (Morris Plains, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) led the way with 18 points on the afternoon. Senior forward
Kyle Pearson (Woodbridge, NJ/Woodbridge / Fairleigh Dickinson University) earned a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard
Bryan Rivers (West Windsor, NJ/Peddie School) tallied 17 points and five assists. Freshman guard
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) scored 14 points with a team-best three three-pointers. Senior guard
Shelton Mickell (Queens, NY/Cardozo / Central Connecticut State) rounded up the starting lineup with 10 points and three assists.
The Setters controlled much of the first half, owning a 30-22 lead with six minutes left before the break. The Clippers then went on a 7-1 run across the next four minutes to cut the deficit to just two points. Mickell drained a three to halt the Clippers' run, but Concordia's Peter Aguilar fired back with a three of his own.
Later in the opening frame, Concordia's Jalen Heath drew a foul with the Setters leading 36-35. He made both shots to put Concordia on top by a point. Mickell tried to drive to the hoop before the buzzer, and drew a foul with a second remaining. He made both of his opportunities to give Pace a 38-37 halftime advantage.
Jusino opened the scoring in the second stanza with a layup 75 seconds in to put the Setters on top by three. Stephen Milhaven then hit a trey for the Clippers to tie the game at 40-40. Pearson then came down the court and sank a three to regain the lead for the Setters.
Back-and-forth play led to a 55-52 lead for the Setters with the clock reading 11:40. A jumper by Concordia's Michael Fields, followed by a three from Aguilar gave the Clippers a 57-55 less than a minute later. Shortly after, the Clippers took a 64-59 advantage on another three from Aguilar, and held a 70-64 edge before a timeout with 6:27 to play.
Heath hit a three with 2:28 left to play to give Concordia an 81-68 lead as time was running thin for the Setters. Jusino made a pair of free throws two possessions later to get back within 11, and a jumper by Rivers cut the deficit to nine, but another three for Milhaven gave Concordia another 12-point lead with just 87 seconds remaining. The Setters tried to get back in the game by fouling, but Concordia was able to hang on for a nine-point win.
Aguilar led all scorers with 31 points thanks to six threes on the day. Heath contributed 14 points, seven assists and seven boards.
The Setters held a slight 33-32 advantage in rebounds on Sunday. Both teams shots well in the game, as the Setters shot 45.9 percent (28-of-61) and the Clippers made 52.5 percent (31-of-59) of their attempts.
The Setters will look to rebound when they take to the road on Wednesday, Dec. 2, to face off with Northeast-10 Conference foe American International College. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. following the women's basketball matchup that precedes it.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
