Wellman leads balanced Ravens
effort with 20 points
RINDGE, N.H. (January 6,
2007) - Franklin Pierce never trailed, using a balanced
scoring attack, to dispatch Southern Connecticut State University,
87-79, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the
Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Redshirt freshman Marcus
Wellman (Monroe, Conn./Hamden Hall) led a balanced
Franklin Pierce effort with 20 points (11 first half) as he hit
5-of-10 shots from the field, including 4-7 from three-point range,
to go with seven rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots and two
steals. Sophomore Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King
Prep) added 17 points and six rebounds, while senior
Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline)
totaled 14 points (11 second half) and a team-high nine rebounds
(five offensive) and two steals. Senior Sean Mayo (Saco,
Maine/Thornton Academy) registered 12 points, eight
rebounds, three blocks and three assists, while sophomore
Craig Shepherd (Grantham, N.H./Trinity) chipped in
a season-high ten points (all first half) in ten minutes off the
bench.
Grad student Tyrese
Sullivan (New Haven, Conn.) came off the bench for
Southern Connecticut and netted a game-high 25 points to go with
three steals and two assists. Senior Kevin Diffley (Queens,
N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) posted 15 points (13 second half)
and six rebounds, while sophomore Derrick Corbett (New
Haven, Conn./Career) totaled 14 points (11 first half) and
four rebounds off the bench. Senior Danny Miller (Brooklyn,
N.Y./Dubois) chipped in ten points and eight rebounds and
junior Devon Sullivan (Jamaica, N.Y./Cornwall)
grabbed a game-high ten rebounds.
Franklin Pierce never trailed, and
forged an 11-point lead (33-22) after a pair of Minnifield
free-throws with 5:37 to go in the first half. Southern Connecticut
closed to within two (38-36) with 1:59 to go in the half, with a
14-5 run, capped by a pair of Sullivan three-pointers.
The Ravens led by six at the break
(44-38) and extended the lead to eight after two Wellman
free-throws 28-seconds into the second half. The Owls chipped away
and cut the lead to a single point on two occasions, the second
after a Diffley layup with 15:04 to play making it 52-51.
Leading by two (55-53) with 12:42
to play, Franklin Pierce scored nine-straight points to regain a
double-figure lead (64-53) after a Minnifield layup. The Ravens
lead grew to a game-high 13 points on two occasions, with a Wellman
three-pointer making the score 75-62 with 5:01 to play. Southern
closed within five (82-77) after a Sullivan layup with 43-second to
go, but that was as close as the Owls would get as the Ravens made
five of their final six free-throws to ice the victory.
Franklin Pierce collected its first
win of the season in which it shot below 45-percent from the field,
hitting 43.9-percent (25-for-57) of its shots, including 46.2%
(12-26) in the second half. Southern shot 42.4% (28-66) overall,
including 31% (9-29) from three-point range. The Ravens hit 9-of-25
(36%) three-pointers, but held a 28-14 scoring advantage at the
free-throw line despite making just 62.2% of their 45 attempts.
Franklin Pierce (8-6, 6-4 NE-10)
hits the road on Tuesday when it visits No. 4-ranked Bentley
College at 7:30 p.m. The Ravens are back home on Tuesday, January
16, to host Le Moyne College at 7:30 p.m. Southern Connecticut
(3-10, 2-8 NE-10) hosts Pace University on Tuesday at 7:30
p.m.
BOXSCORE
& PLAY-BY-PLAY
