COLCHESTER, Vt. – Despite erasing a 15-point halftime deficit, the Pace University men's basketball team was defeated at Saint Michael's on Saturday by a score of 80-78. The loss shifts the Blue and Gold's record to 13-7 this season, including a tally of 5-6 inside the NE10.

Facing a 42-27 score at the break, the Setters showed tremendous resiliency in the second half against the Purple Knights. Pace rattled off an 11-0 run to open the final 20 minutes before a 23-9 stretch tied the game up at 71-71 with 3:21 left in the game.

Saint Michael's responded with back-to-back three-pointers that led to a 79-75 edge with 54 seconds left in the contest. Following a Brandon Jacobs (Cambria Heights, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) long ball that cut the lead to just one, a Pace turnover with six seconds remaining sealed the win for the home team.

Peyton Wejnert (Point Pleasant, N.J./Southern Regional), the NE10's leading scorer this season, was up to his usual dominant ways on Saturday. The senior poured in 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, while also hauling in a season-high 14 rebounds.

Wejnert is now averaging a league-best 23.3 points per contest, in addition to tallying 9.1 rebounds per game (fourth in the NE10).

Three other Setters joined Wejnert in double figures on Saturday. Jacobs and freshman Christian Adams (New Haven, Conn./Hamden Hall) each registered 14 points, while junior Austin Gilbertson (Etters, Pa./Trinity) added 11 points.

Jacobs supplemented his scoring with 10 assists, marking his fourth double-double of the season. Jacobs continues to lead the NE10 in helpers in 2020, averaging 7.9 per contest.

Collectively, the Setters racked up 11 steals on Saturday. Gilbertson led the way with four while Tyrone Cohen, Jr. (Woodside, N.Y./Christ the King / Holy Cross University / Broward College) notched three takeaways.

Up Next
The Setters will return home on Wednesday night (Jan. 29) to host Franklin Pierce at 7:30 p.m.