NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sophomore guard
Bryan Rivers (West Windsor, NJ/Peddie School) tallied a career-best 28 points to lead the Pace University men's basketball team to a crucial Northeast-10 Conference victory over Adelphi University by a score of 82-74 in the Setters' return to the Civic Center Gym on Pace's New York City campus on Wednesday. The Setters now stand alone in fourth in the Southwest Division at 6-9 in NE-10 play and 9-14 overall on the season with the victory, while Adelphi hangs on to second at 9-6 in conference play and 17-6 overall after its loss.
Rivers went 10-of-14 from the field, including numerous difficult lay-ins and jumpers, to surpass his previous career-high of 26, set back on Jan. 9 in the Setters' overtime victory over Merrimack College. He added six rebounds and three steals in the Setters' first game back at their former home in Manhattan in over five years.
The Setters came out firing from the jump, as senior guard
Shelton Mickell (Queens, NY/Cardozo / Central Connecticut State) opened the game with a tough layup, followed by a corner three from freshman forward
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) to take a quick five-point lead. Rivers hit a fade away jumper to put the Setters up, 13-7, but the Panthers then went on a 17-0 run to go up by 11 points with 9:24 left until the break.
Sophomore forward
Evan Gordinier (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) halted the run with his first three of the game, and then Mickell score five straight points to make it a three-point game. Rivers hit the back end of a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two. Manny Suarez then hit a layup for the Panthers, but Rivers drained a big three to get back within one. Jack Laffey then hit a three for Adelphi, but Rivers later came up with a steal and a layup off the ensuing fast break to keep the deficit at two.
With the game tied up at 31 with 4:49 left before halftime, Gordinier hit another long ball to give Pace the lead. Adelphi's Conor McGuinness came back with a trey of his own to tie the game, and the teams went on to trade baskets until the final 90 seconds of the half. Tavon Ginyard drew a foul from beyond the arc, and made all three shots to put the Panthers up, 39-38. He went to the line once more in the half, making both shots to give Adelphi a 41-38 lead, which it took into the locker room.
Adelphi held an early lead in the half after a three by Ginyard put the Panthers up, 44-41. Rivers then sank a layup, kicking off a big run for the Setters. The Setters took a 51-44 lead before Rivers capped off a 13-0 run with a three, forcing Adelphi to take a timeout. The Panthers bounced back off the timeout with a pair of threes, forcing the Setters to call for their own timeout.
The Setters regained their composure and went up by 11 after junior forward
Austin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow / Lincoln College of NE) finished a fast break with a layup off Gordinier's steal. The lead stretched to 12 just a minute later when Rivers completed a steal and fast break combo. The Panthers got back within single digits, but Mickell changed that with a three to put Pace up, 72-62, with 4:40 to play.
A trey by Ginyard at the 3:04 mark put the Panthers back within five of the Setters. Mickell then drew a foul, making both opportunities to keep a comfortable lead. Rivers later hit a layup, and Mickell drew another foul and made two more chances to make it an 11-point game with 60 seconds remaining. The Setters added four more off free throws down the stretch, hanging on for the eight-point win against their division rivals.
Mickell fell one point shy of continuing his streak of games with 20-or-more points with 19 in Wednesday's win. He added eight boards and four assists to a solid all-around effort. Peterson led the Setters with nine rebounds, also tallying 15 points and three takeaways. Freshman guard
Luke McLaughlin (Blauvelt, NY/Tappan Zee) and Gordinier each added six points and pulled down five and four boards, respectively.
Ginyard scored a team-high 23 points to lead Adelphi Wednesday evening. Michael Coffey picked up 15, while Laffey came off the bench to register 12.
The Setters shot 54.7 percent (29-of-53) from the field in the win, while holding Adelphi to under 40 percent for the game. They also held a 34-29 advantage in rebounding, as well as a 34-26 lead in points in the paint. Pace scored all 10 of the game's fast-break points.
The Setters now take the rest of the week off before taking a road trip up to Syracuse, N.Y. for an NE-10 matchup with Le Moyne College on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. following the women's matchup between the Setters and Dolphins.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
