NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Pace University men's basketball team shouldered a 100-74 setback in Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Merrimack College.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
- The Setters got off to a quick start, taking a 6-1 lead on a layup by sophomore
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) and then back-to-back twos for senior
Austin Mofunanya (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow / Lincoln College of NE).
- Pace led 12-8 before Merrimack turned things around with an 11-0 run to claim a 19-12 advantage over the Setters with 14:20 on the clock.
- The Setters closed the gap with the next six points, but a three by Merrimack's Troy McLaughlin kept the home team on top, 22-18.
- A 9-0 run for the Warriors later in the half put them up, 34-25, and they later took a 48-35 lead with 3:31 left until the half.
- Peterson drained a three, and then took advantage of a steal by redshirt sophomore
Mike Demello (Mohegan Lake, NY/White Plains) and made a layup off a fast break to get Pace within eight.
- Mofunanya was fed by Peterson after a steal by graduate student
Christian White (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute / Syracuse University) to cap off Pace's 7-0 run, making it a 48-42 game with 2:36 left in the period.
- Merrimack scored the next five points, but freshman
Ray Montilus (Union, NJ/Pope John XXII) closed out the half with a three, leaving the Setters trailing 53-45 at the break.
HALFTIME LEADERS
- Mofunanya went 9-of-12 from the field in the first half to lead the Setters with 18 points. He also had a game-high seven rebounds at the break.
- White matched Merrimack's Juvaris Hayes with a game-leading six assists in the first 20 minutes.
- Merrimack's Ryan Boulter matched Mofunanya with 18 points.
SECOND HALF
- An early 12-1 run for the home team put the Warriors on top, 70-50, with 12:47 left to play.
- The Setters were unable to close the gap the rest of the way, taking the loss on the road.
SETTER STATS
- Mofunanya finished with a game-high 25 points and completed his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.
- Peterson and freshman
Peyton Wejnert (Point Pleasant, NJ/Southern Regional) each added 12 points, while White dished out a team-best eight assists.
WARRIOR LEADERS
- Boulter finished with 23 points and was one of four Warriors in double-figures on Saturday.
- Troy McLaughlin added 20 of his own, as well as seven assists.
- Hayes led the court with 12 assists.
RECORDS
- Pace: 5-11 (2-6 NE10)
- Merrimack: 12-3 (7-2 NE10)
UP NEXT
- The Setters return home on Tuesday, Jan. 10, to host Saint Michael's College in another NE10 matchup at the Goldstein Fitness Center. Tip-off is set for 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).
