PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Fighting back from a 10-point deficit over the final 8:30 of regulation, the Pace University men's basketball team defeated Saint Michael's on Saturday evening, 77-68. The win improves the Setters' record on the season to 12-8 while bringing their mark in conference play to 6-6.

Inside the Numbers
*Four Setters reached double figures offensively. Brandon Jacobs (Cambria Heights, NY/Long Island Lutheran) led the charge with a 21-point effort. The sophomore guard was especially effective on the free-throw line, shooting 10-of-11 from the charity stripe.

*Tyrone Cohen, Jr. (Woodside, NY/Christ the King / Holy Cross University / Broward College) added 18 points, the fifth time in six games he's reached double figures. Peyton Wejnert (Point Pleasant, NJ/Southern Regional) scored 17 points on a seven-for-nine shooting performance from the field.

*Austin Gilbertson (Etters, PA/Trinity) rounded out Pace's top offensive performers with 12 points. The sophomore guard was a perfect eight-for-eight on free throws, while adding four steals on the defensive side of the ball.

*Pace recorded 16 steals in the win, their most steals in a regulation game since 2010. Seven of the eight Setters that saw action in the game recorded a takeaway. All in all, the Blue and Gold forced 21 Saint Michael's turnovers in the game.

*The Setters shot a season-high 37 free throws, making 28 of them. Pace currently leads the NE10 in foul-shot attempts this season, averaging more than 22 per game.

How it Happened
Despite the Setters holding a lead through most of the opening 10 minutes, the Purple Knights took control in the tail end of the first half. Saint Michael's rattled off a 17-5 run to take a 27-16 lead with three minutes remaining in the opener. The Setters would begin to chip away with nine of the half's final 12 points, led by a five-of-six stretch on free throws in the closing minutes. The run sent Saint Michael's into the half with a two-possession lead, 30-25.

With the momentum on their side at the end of the first and a Wejnert dunk to open up the scoring in the second, Pace seemed poised to roar back ahead. The Purple Knights had different plans, however, slowly padding their lead over the ensuing ten minutes. With 8:40 remaining on the clock, Eli DiGrande buried a three to put Saint Michael's ahead 54-44.

The Blue and Gold would not go away so easily, as a layup by Montilus kick-started a 15-5 run in Pace's favor to tie the game at 59-59 just four minutes later. The Setters would then pull away with eight unanswered points to go ahead 67-61 with 2:30 remaining in regulation. The Purple Knights would only get as close as four as the Setters continued to connect on free throws to close out the contest, 77-68.

Up Next
The Setters will be back in action at home on Tuesday, hosting Stonehill at 7:30 p.m.