Hawks 53-percent shooting the difference as Ravens drop fifth-straight

Boxscore 

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 16, 2009) - Saint Anselm College shot nearly 53-percent from the field to claim a key 83-70 victory over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium tonight.

Sophomore Thomas Baudinet (Watertown, Conn./Taft) led Saint Anselm with 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, to go with six rebounds. Junior Greg Vetrano (Andover, Mass./Andover) added 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Junior Branimir Zeko (Mississauga, Ontario) notched a double-double with 12 points and ten rebounds (six offensive) to go with two blocked shots, while sophomore John Tello (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) chipped in 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, canning his lone three-point attempt, adding nine rebounds and two assists.

Sophomore Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) led Franklin Pierce with 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field, including 3-for-7 from three-point range, while converting all three free-throw attempts to go with eight rebounds, three assists and four steals. Senior Craig Shepherd (Grantham, N.H./Trinity) added a season-high 12 points, canning 4-of-11 three's, and four rebounds, while sophomore Jeff Manchester (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) finished with 11 points and three rebounds.

Saint Anselm shot 52.5-percent (31-for-59) from the field for the night, including 8-for-20 (40%) from three-point range, and outscored the visitors 13-5 at the free-throw line despite converting only 59.1% (13-22) of its attempts. Franklin Pierce shot just 37.5-percent (27-for-72) from the field, including just 35.3% (12-34) in the first half while the Hawks made 54.5% (18-33) of their attempts to build an 18-point (47-29) halftime bulge from which the Ravens could not recover. The Ravens turned the ball over just eight times on the night, but went to the line just eight times, converting five (62.5%). 

Saint Anselm never trailed, opening a 12-point lead (17-5) after layup from freshman Jack Keough (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego Free Academy) 5:29 into the contest. Franklin Pierce closed within seven (19-12) after a Shepherd three with 12:16 left in the half, but the Hawks posted a 10-3 run over the next three minutes to gain a 14-point lead (29-15) after back to back three's from Tello and Vetrano.

Freshman Adedamola Abu (Mattapan, Mass./Marblehead) scored a layup to cap a 9-2 Franklin Pierce run to draw the Ravens within eight (37-29) with 3:13 left in the half, but Saint Anselm closed the half out with a 10-0 run, sparked by three's from Baudinet and Vetrano to take an 18-point lead (47-29) into the break.

Franklin Pierce was unable to get within double-digits in the second half, closing within 13 (52-39) after a three-pointer from freshman Ashton Graham (Brampton, Ontario/Gaither) 3:20 into the second half and within 11 (69-58) after a Dozier three with 8:36 remaining, but Saint Anselm was able to keep the Ravens at arms length the rest of the way. Shepherd's final three had the Ravens within 13 (83-70), but neither team scored over the final 2:15 with the Ravens missing their final five shots, four from beyond the arc.  

Franklin Pierce (10-15, 7-13 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it visits Assumption College at 7:30 p.m. The Ravens return home on Saturday to host American International College at 3:30 p.m. Saint Anselm (14-11, 9-11 NE-10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.