Franklin Pierce Rolls at AIC
in Finale, 77-58
Dozier leads Ravens in season-ending victory with first career double-double

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 26, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University closed out its season with a commanding 77-58 victory over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball action at Butova Gymnasium tonight.

            Freshman guard Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) led Franklin Pierce as he collected season-high totals of 26 points (18 second half) and ten rebounds for his first career double-double to go with four assists and two steals. Dozier made 7-of-10 shots from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, while converting 9-of-10 free-throws on the night.

            Freshman Jeff Manchester (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) added 14 points, shooting 4-10 from three-point range, to go with three rebounds. Sophomore Terrell Ray (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton) posted ten points and four rebounds off the bench, while junior Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) chipped in nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.

            Sophomore Aikeem Vanderhorst (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) led American International with 19 points (11 first half), aided by 13-for-18 shooting at the free-throw line, to go with eight rebounds, six steals, two assists and two blocked shots. Junior Vernon Dupree (Wilmington, Del./Concord) added 16 points and five rebounds, while classmate Lucius Millinder (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) chipped in eight points off the bench.           

Franklin Pierce shot 41.9-percent (26-for-62) from the field for the night, including 10-for-24 (41.7%) from three-point range, and converted 15-of-18 (83.3%) free-throws. American International was held to 33.3% (17-51) shooting overall, including 1-of-9 (11.1%) from beyond the arc. The Ravens commanded the rebounding battle, posting a 52-24 margin on the glass.

            AIC shot just 5-of-22 (22.7%) from the field over the final 20 minutes, missing on all four three-point attempts, as Franklin Pierce expanded on a five-point (38-33) halftime lead. A 9-0 spurt over a three minute span late in the first half put the Ravens up nine (36-27) after a Munch lay-up and they wouldn’t trail again.

            AIC was within three points (44-41) after two Vanderhorst free-throws five minutes into the second half, but Franklin Pierce answered with a 10-1 run over the next six minutes to take a 12-point lead (54-42) after a Munch lay-up midway through the half. The Ravens opened a game-high 20-point advantage (68-48) after a pair of Dozier free-throws with 6:31 to go and AIC wouldn’t get within 15 points the rest of the way.

                Franklin Pierce closes out its season with a 10-17 record overall, 6-16 in the Northeast-10. American International (10-17, 7-15 NE-10) will be the 12^th-seed in the NE-10 Tournament and could face any one of four teams who have finished in a four-way tie for fifth place in the NE-10 standings for a first round match up on Saturday at 2 p.m.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY