Syracuse, N.Y. – All-conference guard Donte Gittens broke a tie with 38 seconds remaining as fifth-seeded Franklin Pierce University registered a 73-69 victory over the fourth-seeded Le Moyne College men's basketball team on Friday night in the Northeast-10 Conference Championship First Round at Ted Grant Court.

Senior guard Qwadere Lovell (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon) closed out his collegiate career with team-highs of 14 points (12 in the second half) and three assists, while grabbing two rebounds. He concludes his 108-game career with 1336 points, 392 assists and 365 rebounds. One of only two players in the program's history with 1300 points, 350 assists and 350 rebounds, he moved into 16th on the program's career scoring chart with his sixth point and ninth in assists with his third assist. Sophomore guard Russell Sangster (Rockville, Md./Bullis School) and freshman guard Eriq Jenkins (Windsor, Ontario/Catholic Central) each recorded 11 points, while Sangster grabbed a game-high seven rebounds and Jenkins posted two rebounds and two steals. Junior forward Stan Buczek (Port Jervis, N.Y./Burke Catholic) added 10 points as the fourth Dolphin in double-digits.

Matt Banton came off the bench to lead the Ravens offensively with 20 points, 18 of which he scored in the second half. In the teams' regular-season meeting, he scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half. Gittens and Tyler Iacuone each recorded 14 points, with Gittens scoring 10 of them in the second half, while Gittens recorded six rebounds and two assists and Iacuone pulling down four rebounds and dishing out two assists. Mike McDevitt was the fourth Raven in twin-figures with 12 points, all of which came in the first 21:13 of the game.

The Ravens opened the game with eight of the first 12 points over 5:08. Iacuone and Jordan Lackey each tallied three points in the span.

After ties at eight and 10, Franklin Pierce scored six straight points on baskets by McDevitt, and Gittens and two free throws by Banton.

The Dolphins pulled within 18-17 on a three-pointer by Buczek with 9:54 remaining, but McDevitt drained a three-pointer and converted a jumper over the next 3:40 to push Franklin Pierce's lead back to six with 6:14 left.

Le Moyne responded with nine of the next 12 points to tie the score at 26 with 2:23 remaining. Sangster recorded seven of the points, while sophomore forward Daniel Kaigler (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden/Gannon) added a lay-up.

Franklin Pierce regained the lead with six straight points before Kaigler made a lay-up with one second left to get the Dolphins within 32-28 at halftime. Iacuone made two shots in the 6-0 run around a jumper by Asante Sandiford.

After senior forward Connor Mahoney (Hanover, Mass./BC High/Brooks School) started the scoring in the second half with a three-pointer to get the Dolphins within one, the Ravens scored nine of the next 12 points to take a 41-34 lead with 17:05 left. Iacuone recorded five of the points, while McDevitt and Sandiford each made baskets.

Following back-and-forth action over the next seven minutes, with Franklin Pierce's lead bouncing between three and nine points and settling at eight, 53-45, with 9:42 left, the Dolphins recorded a 7-2 run to get within one possession with 8:36 left. Sophomore guard Tanner Hyland (South Portland, Maine/South Portland/Bridgton Academy) started the run with a three-pointer, Sangster made two free throws and then Jenkins turned a steal into a fast-break lay-up.

After Franklin Pierce tallied seven of the next 12 points for a 62-57 lead with 4:49 left, the Dolphins posted a 7-1 run to take their only lead of the game. Buczek made a free throw, sophomore guard Anthony Richards (New Castle, Pa./New Castle/West Virginia Wesleyan) drained a three-pointer and then Lovell answered a Gittens free throw with a three-pointer with 3:19 left for a 64-63 lead.

The Ravens answered with baskets by Banton and Jacob Jacquo to retake a three-point lead with 1:57 left.

After the Dolphins tied the score at 67 on two free throws by Buczek and one by Lovell with 1:00 left, Gittens made a lay-up with 38 seconds left to give the Ravens the lead for good. Following a Le Moyne missed three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining, Gittens converted two foul shots with 18 seconds left. Lovell got the Dolphins within two with a lay-up with 12 seconds left, but Banton made two free throws with 11 seconds left for the final points of the game.

Le Moyne, which hosted a game in the NE-10 Championship for the first time since 2011, closes out its first season under head coach Patrick Beilein with a 10-17 record.