Cougars comeback from 17-point
first half deficit, hold Ravens to two points in OT
RINDGE, N.H. (December 21,
2006) - Caldwell College rallied from as much as 17 points
down late in the first half to force overtime before collecting a
66-63 victory over Franklin Pierce in a non-conference men's
basketball contest at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Franklin Pierce missed all nine
shots from the field in the extra period, including four
three-pointers, and hit just 2-4 free-throws to compound a
37-percent (10-for-27) shooting performance (2-10 three's) from the
field and 2-6 (33.3%) effort from the line in the second half. The
Ravens also turned the ball over 13 times in the second half after
holding a 12-point (37-25) halftime lead.
Caldwell shot 55.6-percent (15-27)
from the field in the second half and posted a 13-2 scoring
advantage off turnovers. The Cougars shot 45.2% (28-62) from the
field overall, compared to 37.5% (24-64) for the
Ravens.
Senior Jean Georges
(Vauxhal, N.J./Spotswood) led Caldwell with a game-high 17
points (15 after halftime) to go with eight rebounds. Freshman
Sam Cricelli (Brighton, England) added 15 points
and four rebounds, while junior B.J. Suchy (Ronkonkoma,
N.Y./Our Savior) posted 12 points and four boards. Junior
Adam Sabree (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) chipped
in 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Senior Sean Mayo (Saco,
Maine/Thornton Academy) totaled 16 points, nine rebounds
(four offensive) and two blocked shots for Franklin Pierce.
Classmate Darryl Minnifield (Boston,
Mass./Brookline) added 12 points, four rebounds (three
offensive) and two steals, while sophomore Timothy Munch
(Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) contributed 13 points,
five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior Nazim
Senaldi (Istanbul, Turkey) came off the bench to collect
his first career double-double, finishing with ten points, a career
and game-high 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Caldwell never trailed in the extra
period and took control when Georges drained a three-pointer and
was fouled to put the Cougars up four (66-62) with 35-seconds left.
The free-throw was no good, giving Franklin Pierce a chance, but
Mayo hit just one of two at the line and the Ravens missed a pair
of three-pointers in the closing
seconds.
In the second half, Caldwell drew
within a point (39-38) after a Cricelli layup six minutes in, as an
18-2 Cougars run wrapped around halftime all but erased a 17 point
Franklin Pierce lead late in the first half. The Ravens regained a
seven-point cushion on two occasions in the final five minutes of
regulation, including a 59-52 edge after a Mayo layup with 3:51 to
play. However, Suchy scored two-straight baskets and George drained
a three-pointer to knot the score (59-59) with 2:04 to play. Mayo
scored a layup to put the Ravens back in front with 57-seconds to
play with Cricelli answering with a jumper with 37-seconds to play
to force a second tie.
Franklin Pierce held for the last
shot and Minnifield drove to the basket but missed what would have
been his fourth game-winning basket of the season. Mayo got a tip
on the rebound, but it was off the mark. An inadvertent whistle
gave the Ravens the ball with one second to play, but Minnifield's
three-pointer at the buzzer was just off the mark, sending the game
to overtime.
Franklin Pierce (6-5, 4-3 NE-10) has
over a week off for the holidays before returning to Northeast-10
Conference play at Saint Anselm College on Saturday, December 30,
at 3:30 p.m. The Ravens return home on Wednesday, January 3, when
they host American International College at 7:30 p.m. Caldwell
(7-4, 3-2 NE-10) is off until January 9, when it travels to Holy
Family University for a conference clash at 8 p.m.
BOXSCORE
& PLAY-BY-PLAY
