December 3, 2008
MBB: DOLPHINS FALL TO FRANKLIN PIERCE, 72-67, IN NE-10 ROAD
CONTEST
Rindge, N.H. - Junior Kevin Hassett (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert
Mountain/Iona College) scored 21 points and grabbed 12
rebounds, but Franklin Pierce defeated the Le Moyne College men's
basketball team 72-67 on Wednesday night at the FPU Fieldhouse.
Forward Rimas Varanauskas made consecutive baskets in the paint as
the Ravens opened up an 8-4 lead in the opening three minutes of
the game. Hassett drilled a three-pointer and freshmen
James Cormier (Trumbull,
Conn./Trumbull/Proctor Academy) and Christopher
Johnson (Lindenhurst,
N.Y./Lindenhurst) hit a three-pointer and a layup
respectively to give the Dolphins a 12-11 lead with 13:28 left in
the first half.
Franklin Pierce responded with an 8-2 run of its own to regain the
lead. Johnson recorded a pair of three-pointers and a jumper around
a layup by junior guard Damani Corbin
(Brooklyn, N.Y./Frederick
Douglass) to give Le Moyne a 24-23 advantage with just
over eight minutes remaining in the opening half. The two squads
traded baskets over the remainder of the half as the Ravens took a
39-37 halftime lead.
Hassett hit back-to-back jumpers and Corbin and sophomore forward
Kevin Roth (Lake View, N.Y./St. Francis) made
consecutive layups to give the Dolphins a 45-41 lead with 16:42
left in the contest.
After trading baskets over the next three minutes, the Ravens
rattled off a 21-7 run over a span of 10:15 to open up a game-high
11-point lead with just 1:53 remaining. Varanauskas led the Ravens
in the spurt with nine points and Kinard Dozier capped the streak
with a fast-break dunk. The Dolphins scored nine of the game's
final 14 points, but could not cut their deficit below four
points.
Hassett was 10-of-12 from the field to register the second
20-point performance of his career, while his 12 rebounds mark a
career best. Corbin finished with season-bests of 14 points and
eight assists, while Johnson tallied 13 points off the bench.
Varanauskas led the Ravens with 20 points and seven rebounds, while
Dozier contributed 13 points and seven boards and Terrell Ray
chipped in 13 points in 16 minutes off the bench.
Le Moyne (2-4, NE-10 2-3) returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 3 at
Pace University at 1:30 p.m. at the NYC Campus.
-agate-
Franklin Pierce
72, Le Moyne 67
Le Moyne (2-4, NE-10
2-3)
37
30
-
67
Franklin Pierce (4-2, NE-10
1-1)
39
33
- 72
