Following a poor second half shooting display Sunday, the Franklin Pierce University men’s basketball team rebounded in a big way pouring in 34-of-62 (54.8%) of their field goal attempts as the Ravens ran past non-conference opponent Georgian Court University 89-63 on Monday afternoon. With the win, the Ravens move to 7-5 on the year and the loss drops the Lions to 1-12.
The Crimson and Grey were equally impressive from long range as they buried 19-of-37 (51.4%) of their three-point shots, their second highest percentage of the season. The 37 three point attempts was also the high watermark of the 2016-17 campaign.
Four starters scored in double figures as Mike McDevitt and Matt Banton tallied 17 points apiece. Banton drained 5-of-11 (45.5%) from deep and the five three-point conversions were a team-high. Junior forward Jordan Lackey added 12 markers and Asante Sandiford matched his teammates scoring output with 12 points of his own, all of them coming by way of the trey.
Although he only scored two points, teammate Donte Gittens grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds and matched a personal-best with seven blocks. Gittens recorded seven stuffs last year at Saint Anselm on December 20th. The single game program record is eight blocks set by Joe Delancy on January 13, 1982 versus Hawthorne.
Amanie Craddock and Oladoyin Fadojutimi racked up eight points each off the bench while Falu Seck and David Bradbury added five markers apiece.
FPU started the contest fast with a 16-3 run as 12 points came from three-pointers. Eight straight points from the hosts brought them within five at 16-11 with 14 minutes left in the half. The five point deficit was the closest the Lions would come to sieging the lead.
After a Fadojutimi three-ball conversion, four consecutive freebies from GCU brought the Raven lead back to two possessions at 26-20. The Ravens responded with a 16-4 scoring binge to take a 39-24 lead off a McDevitt lay-in.
The teams traded buckets through the final five minutes of the half as the Ravens held a 50-34 advantage at the intermission.
Caleb Bowser knocked down a jumper for Georgian Court and then the Ravens went on an 11-4 run with a Craddock layup giving Franklin Pierce their largest lead of the contest 75-44 with 9:02 left. Over the final nine minutes, the Lions chipped away, but could only bring the Raven lead to 26 as FPU hung on for the victory.
The Ravens return to the Fieldhouse next Saturday, December 31st for a non-conference New Year’s Eve duel against LIU Post at noon.