PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University men's basketball team went to overtime for the first time this season, but fell to Northeast-10 Conference foe Saint Michael's College, 62-61, at the Goldstein Fitness Center on Tuesday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
- The opening half of Tuesday night's matchup saw eight lead changes and three ties, as neither team could pull away by more than four points throughout the first 20 minutes of the game.
- The Setters reached that four-point lead with 5:12 to go when freshman
Ray Montilus (Union, NJ/Pope John XXII) laid one in to put Pace up, 21-17.
- With just 2:41 until the break, Matt Bonds put the Purple Knights in the lead with back-to-back layups to go up, 23-22.
- Freshman
Peyton Wejnert (Point Pleasant, NJ/Southern Regional) responded with a two to take the lead back, and later drew a foul and made both chances to give the Setters a three-point lead with just 31 seconds to go.
- Bonds managed to drop two more before the buzzer, leaving Pace on top, 26-25, heading into the locker room.
HALFTIME LEADERS
- Wejnert led the Setters with 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks as Pace took a lead into the half.
- Bonds led all players with 12 points and seven boards at the break.
SECOND HALF
- Pace started quickly in the second frame when Wejnert hit a layup after a feed from Montilus to put the Setters up by three.
- Bonds responded with a three off the backboard to tie, but the Setters kept the momentum and went on a 7-0 run to take a 35-28 advantage.
- Pace kept the pressure on, and ran its lead out to 12 points at 51-39 with 8:27 left to play.
- The Setters were holding a 55-46 edge with 2:39 to play before the Purple Knights caught a second wind.
- Zaire Williams hit a jumper, and then Bonds dunked it after a fast break to make it a five-point game.
- Bonds took advantage of another turnover and hit another layup to get the visitors within three.
- Williams then hit a three to tie the game up at 55-55 with 1:18 left in regulation.
- Neither team was able to put the game away, forcing an extra five minutes.
OVERTIME
- The Setters regained their rhythm to open the extra period, scoring the first four points of the frame after drawing fouls to go up, 59-55.
- After a miss by the Purple Knights, Montilus grabbed the rebound and hustled down the court to lay it in and give the Setters a six-point edge with 3:52 on the clock.
- A trio of free throws for Saint Michael's cut the deficit in half just 26 seconds later, and then a three-point play by David Sullivan tied the game at 61-61 with 3:04 to go.
- Both teams locked down on defense, forcing multiple misses and turnovers to send the game into the final seconds without another point.
- With two seconds on the clock, freshman
Jack McGuire (Brielle, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) attempted the game-winning shot from just inside the three-point arc, but Bonds blocked it, and then tripped over McGuire after grabbing the ball, getting a whistle from the officials to send Bonds to the line with the clock reading 00.4.
- Bonds made his first chance to take the lead, and his miss on the second free throw left Pace with no time for a shot, giving the Purple Knights the win.
SETTER STATS
- Senior
Austin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow / Lincoln College of NE) led Pace with 19 points, also adding eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
- Sophomore
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
- Montilus contributed a team-high five assists, six points and four rebounds.
PURPLE KNIGHT LEADERS
- Bonds led all players with 25 points, 15 rebounds and eight steals, also picking up three blocks and two steals.
- Sullivan added nine points and five boards.
- Colin Richey scored eight off the bench.
RECORDS
- Pace: 5-12 (2-7 NE10)
- Saint Michael's: 3-12 (2-8 NE10)
UP NEXT
- The Setters will look to bounce back on Saturday, Jan. 14, when they host Stonehill College for another NE10 contest at the Goldstein Fitness Center. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m.
- Saturday is also Camp Reunion and Youth Day at the Goldstein Fitness Center.
- Children 12-years old and younger will be admitted free, and while supplies last will receive a Pace Athletics draw string bag, T-Bone sunglasses, a schedule poster, and are invited to participate in a post-game autograph session with the players.
- Other tickets for the day are just $4 for adults.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
