PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. ­– The Pace University men's basketball team (10-6, 6-3 NE10) dropped a close contest to Saint Michael's College, 87-82, inside the Goldstein Fitness Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
Pace was down by as many as 10 points in the opening half but managed to claw back to tie the game by the end of the first 20 minutes.
 
Saint Michael's scored a quick three to open the second half and never trailed again, leading by as many as 10 with two-and-a-half minutes to play, at which point the Setters pounced, scoring seven straight points to trim the lead to three with 21 seconds to go.
 
A ferociously aggressive Pace defense forced two straight Purple Knights turnovers on inbounds passes, however a Bryan Powell (Middletown, N.Y./Canterbury School) game-tying three hit the rim, allowing Saint Michael's to hold on for the win.
 
The Blue and Gold did have three double-digit scorers, led by Brandon Powell's (Middletown, N.Y./Pine Bush) 16 points.
 
Christian Adams (New Haven, Conn./Hamden Hall) and Austin Gilbertson (Etters, Pa./Trinity) also shot the ball well, both going 6-of-12 from the field, for 14 and 13 points respectively.
 
Dominick Cristiano (Valhalla, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic/Greens Farm Academy) led the team in rebounds and nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and eight boards.

The Setters knocked in a season-high 12 three-pointers in the contest and outrebounded the visitors by a 38-31 margin.
 
The Purple Knights picked up their first conference win of the season by shooting the ball remarkably all game long, finishing the game at 52.7% from the field (29-of-55), including hitting on 53.3% of their deep balls (16-of-30).
 
The Purple Knights' shooting was well complimented by a terrific rim-protecting performance from Patrick Gardner.
 
The 6'10'' senior tallied all seven of his team's blocks, as well as altering several other attempts near the rim with his presence. 
 
Gardner, who ranks second in the NE10 in points-per-game, also scored a game-high 25 points, one of two 20+-point scorers for Saint Michael's.
 
Up Next
The Setters head to Rindge, N.H. to face Franklin Pierce (7-5, 4-3 NE10) on Tuesday night.