LIU-C.W. POST 
HOLIDAY CLASSIC
LIU-C.W. Post Edges 
Franklin Pierce, 61-57
Pioneers out-shoot Ravens in second half, hold on late for victory

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (December 30, 2005) – LIU-C.W. Post edged Franklin Pierce, 61-57 in day two action of the 2005 C.W. Post Holiday Classic at the Pratt Recreation Center this evening.

            C.W. Post hit 48.1-percent (13-of-27) of its shots from the field in the second half, compared to 39.3% (11-28) for Franklin Pierce, to overcome 21 turnovers on the night. Both teams struggled shooting in the first half as the Pioneers connected on 27.3% (6-22) from the floor and the Ravens shot 29% (9-31). The Ravens missed on all seven three-point attempts in the second half and hit just 4-of-20 (20%) from beyond the arc for the night.

            Freshman Jonathan Schmidt (Centereach, N.Y./St. Anthony’s) led the Pioneers with a game-high 18 points, hitting five-of-seven from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, to go with five assists and four rebounds. Junior Brian Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) came off the bench to add 16 points (all second half), shooting 6-of-9 from the floor, and grabbed a team-best six rebounds. Classmate John Morris (Houston, Texas/Westside) chipped in 11 points.            

Junior Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) led Franklin Pierce with 14 points, a game-best eight rebounds and four steals. Senior Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) netted a team-best 15 points to go with five rebounds, while classmate Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) added 12 points, six boards and three assists.

            C.W. Post, winners of five of its last six, used a 14-2 run to build a 43-36 advantage after a Williams free-throw with 8:25 to play. However, Franklin Pierce closed the gap to a point (58-57) after Mayo converted a conventional three-point play with 18-seconds left.

            The Ravens forced a Pioneer turnover and had a shot to take the lead, but Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) was off the mark with a three-pointer and Mayo’s put-back caromed off the rim. Williams drained two free-throws with 3.1-seconds to play and the Ravens full-court pass sailed out of bounds to seal the C.W. Post victory.

            After leading by two points (23-21) at the half, Franklin Pierce built a seven-point lead early in the second half (32-25) after a Mayo free-throw, before the Pioneers went on their 14-2 run.

Franklin Pierce (4-5, 1-3 NE-10) returns to its Northeast-10 Conference schedule on Monday when it hosts Pace University at 7:30 p.m. LIU-C.W. Post (6-3) hosts Concordia College on Friday, January 6, at 7 p.m.

BOXSCORE