Franklin Pierce Tops 
Southern Connecticut in OT, 
67-63
Munch’s 18 points after halftime 
leads Ravens to victory

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 14, 2006) – Freshman guard Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) canned a pair of three-pointers in overtime to lead Franklin Pierce to a 67-63 victory over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball action at Moore Fieldhouse this afternoon.

            Munch scored 18 of his team-leading 21 points for Franklin Pierce after halftime as he buried 6-of-11 three pointers (5-8 in the second half), including eight points in the overtime period. He also led the Ravens with seven rebounds and blocked a shot.

            Senior Justin Powell (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) added 15 points for Franklin Pierce, aided by 9-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line, and seven rebounds (three offensive). Junior Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) totaled 12 points (nine first half), on 4-8 shooting, and five rebounds, while senior Pierre Sully (Jamaica Plain, Mass./North Cambridge) chipped in ten points, five rebounds and two steals.            

Sophomore Devon Sullivan (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall) notched a double-double to lead Southern Connecticut as he posted 21 points, on 9-of-16 shooting from the field, and a game-best 11 rebounds to go with two blocks. Junior Jamal Cooke (Portland, Ore./Franklin) added 15 points, five assists and three steals, while classmate Cory Hudson (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Spaulding) chipped in nine points and eight rebounds (six offensive).

            Despite shooting just 26.1-percent (6-of-23) from the field in the first half, Franklin Pierce trailed by just four points (25-21) at the break with Southern hitting 41.7% (10-24) of its shots from the floor. The Ravens took an eight point lead (42-34) after Sully capped an 8-0 run midway through the second half with a jumper.

            Southern answered with an 8-1 run to cut the lead to two points (43-41) after a lay-up by junior Ktrice McNeill (Bronx, N.Y./East Stroudsburg North) with 7:36 to play in the second half. Sullivan scored a second-chance basket to give the Owls a lead (46-45) with 4:58 left in regulation, but Powell scored a lay-up and Munch canned a three-pointer to put the Ravens back up four (50-46) with 3:42 on the clock.

            Cooke hit one of two at the line, and then canned a three to knot the score at 50-50 and neither team scored over the final 2:30. Cooke saw a buzzer-beating runner from just inside half court carom dangerously off the rim.

            Southern hit the first basket of the overtime period before Powell knotted things with a jumper in the first 28-seconds. Munch then scored eight-straight Franklin Pierce points in an 8-2 run that put the Ravens up six (60-54) before fouling out with 1:03 to play.

            The Owls were able to get within three points on two occasions over the final 36-seconds, but Franklin Pierce iced the victory by hitting 7-of-8 at the line down the stretch.

Franklin Pierce (8-6, 5-4 NE-10) is back in action on Monday when it hosts the College of Saint Rose at 7:30 p.m. Southern Connecticut (4-10, 1-9 NE-10) visits Southern New Hampshire University on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

BOXSCORE