Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore forward Brian Zapisek (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded his fourth double-double of the season in leading the Le Moyne College men's basketball team to an 80-66 win over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Ted Grant Court.

Zapisek tallied 20 points, including 14 in the second half, and a game-high 11 rebounds, while adding a game-best four steals. Sophomore point guard Nate Champion (Logansport, Ind./Logansport) recorded 17 points, a career-high 10 rebounds, eight of which came in the first half, and a five assists. Sophomore center Jim Janson (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glenville) joined his classmates in double-digits with 19 points in 24 foul-plagued minutes.

Ellis Cooper led the Ravens with 20 points to tie Zapisek for game-high honors, while adding seven rebounds. Eric Jean-Guillaume registered 16 points and six assists, while Nigel Van Oostrum posted 13 points and seven rebounds.

The Dolphins opened the game with the first seven points and 12 of the first 14 points. Janson got the Dolphins on the scoreboard with a dunk, Champion followed with a pull-up jumper and then Zapisek connected on a three-pointer off a feed from Champion. After Cooper hit two free throws for the Ravens, Zapisek hit another three-pointer and Janson made a jumper.

Following an 8-2 run by Franklin Pierce to get within four points at the 7:43 mark, the Dolphins scored 12 straight points over the next three minutes and three seconds. Janson bookended the span with lay-ups, while senior guard Chris Johnson (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) had a fast-break three-pointer and Champion had a three-pointer and two free throws.

The Dolphins extended their lead to 21 points at halftime with 12 of the last 19 points over the final 4:25 of the stanza. Johnson drilled a pair of three-pointers and Champion had two lay-ups in the stretch, while the Ravens got points from four players.

Over the opening six minutes and 16 seconds of the second half, the teams traded points, resulting in a 48-28 Le Moyne advantage. Zapisek had five of Le Moyne's 10 points, while Cooper had six of Franklin Pierce's 11 points.

The Ravens countered with a 21-13 run over the next 6:34 to pull within 61-49 with 8:10 remaining in the contest. Andre Blackwood sparked the run with a three-pointer and fast-break lay-up, while Cooper tallied seven points and Adrianos Vourliotakis Perdikaris, Van Oostrum and Curtis Christian each had three points.

Le Moyne extended its lead back to 17 with two free throws from Champion and a lay-up and free throw by Janson, but Franklin Pierce answered with 12 of the next 17 points to trim its deficit to 10 with 3:08 left. Jean-Guillaume and Van Oostrum contributed all 12 points with eight and four points, respectively.

The Dolphins regained control with back-to-back, shot-clock beating three-pointers from senior guard James Cormier (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull/Proctor Academy (N.H.)) and Zapisek. Junior guard Derrek Tartt">Derrek Tartt (Chicago, Ill./Oak Park Fenwick/UAlbany) hit two free throws and Champion hit one to close out the game's scoring.

Le Moyne (7-6, 3-6 NE-10), which snapped a four-game conference losing streak, hosts Merrimack on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.