NEW HAVEN, Conn. (March 15, 2014) – The Franklin
Pierce University men's basketball team advanced to the
second round of the 2014 NCAA Division II Tournament East Regional
on Saturday night with a 66-65 first round win over Philadelphia
University at the Moore Fieldhouse in New Haven, Conn.
The fourth-seeded Ravens improved
to 21-7, and will take on top-seeded Southern Connecticut State in
the second round on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. Fifth-seeded PhilaU
closed out its season with a 26-6 record.
Senior forward Ellis Cooper
(Northampton, Mass.) led the Franklin Pierce attack with a
game-high 24 points, including hitting the two game-winning free
throws with :17 remaining to lift the Ravens to victory. Cooper was
7-of-11 from the floor, including a 10-of-12 effort from the free
throw line. He had 12 points in the second half, and swiped a pair
of steals, as the Ravens totaled four thefts in the final
stanza.
Freshman guard Donte
Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) had one of those steals in the
second half, and it came at a crucial time with just :10 remaining
as he stole an inbounds attempt, and was fouled, thus giving the
Ravens an opportunity to pad their lead with a couple foul
shots.
Gittens, however, missed the front
end of a 1-and-1, and PhilaU had two cracks at a game-winning
basket in the closing seconds, but could not come up with the
winner.
It marked the second time in the
last three seasons Franklin Pierce sent the Rams packing in the
NCAA first round, as the Ravens also picked up a 59-58 triumph in
the 2012 tournament.
Senior forward Adrianos
Vourliotakis Perdikaris (Cholargos, Athens) notched a
double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while junior
Ryen Vilmont (Philadelphia, Pa.) dropped in 14,
including knocking down seven-straight points over a three-minute
late in the game to help the Ravens rally from a three-point
deficit to take a 62-58 lead with 2:23 to go.
The teams traded baskets and foul
shots down the stretch before Cooper iced it with his foul
shots.
Peter Alexis led four Rams that
scored in double-figures, as he poured in 21 points. Derek Johnson
followed with 15 points.
An Alexis tip-in with 12:18
remaining in the first half staked the Rams to a 17-10 advantage.
However, Franklin Pierce mounted a rally by scoring 10 of the next
12 points, including four points from Gittens and a pair free
throws from Cooper, to take a 20-19 edge.
The lead changed hands the rest of
the half with neither side being able to take full advantage.
Philadelphia eventually took a 32-31 lead into the locker room at
halftime.
Franklin Pierce improved to 8-6
all-time in the NCAA Tournament with the win, and 2-0 versus
Philadelphia. Saturday's first round contest marked the
Ravens' third-consecutive trip tok the national event, as
they have posted at least one win in each of the last three
seasons.
The Ravens will square off against
SCSU in the second round on Sunday, as it will mark the second time
the teams have met this season. The Owls downed the Ravens, 106-95,
back on Jan. 25 in Rindge.
For more information on Franklin
Pierce men's basketball, please visit the team's page
at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu. To follow
the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on
YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports),
Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics)
and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens).
Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce men's basketball
apparel can do so on the athletic department's online store
at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)
