PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Freshman forward
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) set a new personal-best with 23 points to lead the Pace University men's basketball team to an 80-55 non-conference victory over the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) Monday evening at the Goldstein Fitness Center. The win halts a four-game drought for the Setters and improves them to 6-8 overall. NYIT drops to 1-10 on the year.
Peterson tallied 14 of his 23 points in the first half of Monday's matchup, adding seven rebounds in the first frame as well. He finished with eight rebounds and four three-pointers, shooting 8-for-14 (57.1 percent) in the game.
Peterson came out firing with a three to open the scoring in Monday's non-conference game. Later in the first, a three by NYIT's Khalif Chaplin gave the Bears an 11-9 lead, but four different Setters scored in a 9-0 run to put them up, 18-11. The Setter lead grew to as much as 15 points on a late three pointer by Peterson, but NYIT's Jerrel Green scored the final points of the half on a dunk, sending the teams to the locker room with a 32-19 score in favor of Pace.
Pace's lead reached 22 points early on in the second when sophomore forward
Victor Jusino (Morris Plains, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) scored on back-to-back possessions. The Setters hit their largest lead of the game with under two minutes to play after junior forward
Austin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow / Lincoln College of NE)'s pair of free throws gave the home team a 78-48 advantage. Mofunanya scored one more time with 40 seconds left, helping the Setters close out a 25-point victory.
Mofunanya came off the bench to contribute 14 points and six boards for the Setters on Monday. Senior forward
Kyle Pearson (Woodbridge, NJ/Woodbridge / Fairleigh Dickinson University) and sophomore guard
Bryan Rivers (West Windsor, NJ/Peddie School) matched with 10 points. Pearson pulled down seven boards, while Rivers dished out four assists.
Chaplin scored a game-high 26 points for the Bears, adding three assists and two steals. Green tallied eight points along with seven boards and five blocks.
The Setters dominated the inside to the tune of a 46-24 edge in points in the paint. They also received a big boost from the bench, which scored 22 points compared to just five for the NYIT reserves.
The Setters will get back to work quickly, as they will host Saint Anselm College in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup at the Goldstein Fitness Center on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. immediately following the women's basketball matchup.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
