Franklin Pierce 
Holds Off NJIT, 61-57
Minnifield’s career-best 20 points lifts Ravens 
to first win in six games 

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (December 30, 2004) – Franklin Pierce snapped a five-game losing streak as it held off a late rally by New Jersey Institute of Technology for a 61-57 victory in day two action of the Comfort Suites Holiday Classic, hosted by Bryant University, at the Chace Wellness & Athletic Center this evening.

            Sophomore point guard Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass./Brookline) led the way for Franklin Pierce as he canned a career-best four three-pointers (on six attempts) for a career-high 21 points, also aided by a nine-of-ten effort at the free-throw line, to go with five rebounds.

            Junior forward Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) added 12 points and six rebounds, while classmate Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) contributed eight points and six rebounds. Freshman Dominik Johnson (Los Angeles, Calif./A.B. Miller) chipped in with a game-high eight rebounds.

            NJIT was led by sophomore Clayton Barker’s (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) 19 points. Freshman James Hurt (South Hempstead, N.Y./Southside) added 11 points (all second-half), six steals and three assists, while sophomore Marc Milbourne Swan (Pleasantville, N.J./Holy Spirit) chipped in nine points and four boards.            

Franklin Pierce scored the first six points of the second half to open a 14-point advantage 3:44 into the stanza after a put back from junior Douaine Anderson (Wolverhampton, England). Hurt then nearly single-handedly got NJIT back into the game as he scored six-straight points to spark a 10-2 to get the Highlanders back within six points (46-40) with 10:30 to play.

            The Ravens regained a 12-point lead (57-45) after a lay-up from junior Tom Sadler (Oxford, England/Farmington (N.H.)) with 5:59 to play, but NJIT limited them to just one field goal over the final six minutes, allowing them to make one last run.

            The Highlanders trailed by just two points (59-57) with 1:11 to play after a pair of Barker free-throws, but that was all NJIT would get as it turned the ball over with 24-seconds to play after Minnifield missed a jumper at the other end. Minnifield was fouled and canned a pair of free-throw attempts with 14-seconds to ice the Ravens third victory of the season.

            Franklin Pierce held NJIT to 33.3-percent (14-42) shooting for the contest, but the Highlanders stayed in the contest by hitting 25-of-26 attempts at the free-throw line (15-16 second half), outscoring the Ravens 25-14 at the stripe on the night. The Ravens shot just 38.9% (21-54) from the field, including 33.3% (9-27) over the final 20 minutes, but they out-scored the Highlanders 17-7 on second-chance baskets thanks to a 40-26 advantage on the glass. The Ravens were out-rebounded by just one (19-18) on their end of the floor for the night.

            Franklin Pierce (3-6, 1-3 NE-10) returns to action after the New Year when it visits Pace University for a Northeast-10 Conference battle on Monday at 7:30 p.m. NJIT (5-7, 4-1 CACC) hosts Wilmington College next Wednesday at 8 p.m.

BOX SCORE