Franklin Pierce Edges Pace,
65-64
Dozier’s runner with four-seconds on the clock lifts Ravens to victory

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (January 30, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University got a runner from freshman guard Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) with four-seconds to play to post a 65-64 victory over Pace University in Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball action at the Goldstein Athletic Center tonight.

            Dozier’s winning basket capped an 18-point night as he made 7-of-17 shots from the field, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, while adding six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Junior Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) led all scorers with a season-high 24 points, as he hit 10-of-19 shots from the field, to go with five rebounds. Classmate Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/The Winchendon School) added 11 points and three assists in 22 minutes before fouling out.

            Seniors Ryan Williams (Centreville, Va./Paul VI) and Gibraltar White (Gautier, Miss./Gautier) combined for 41 points for Pace. Williams netted a team-best 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, to go with three rebounds and two assists. White totaled 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-8 from beyond the arc, adding three rebounds and three assists. Senior Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, N.Y./Rye) rounded out the Setters double-figure scorers with 11 points, eight rebounds and two assists, while junior Randy Wilson (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) chipped in with a game-high 14 rebounds.           

Franklin Pierce shot 41-percent (25-61) from the field on the night, including 41.9-percent (13-31) in the second half, and committed just nine turnovers compared to 16 for the hosts. The Ravens posted a 20-4 advantage in points of turnovers and outscored the Setters 7-0 in second-chance points despite being out-rebounded 37-31. Pace shot 42-percent (21-50) from the field, but just 40% (10-25) in the second half, and just 33.3% (8-24) from three-point range. The Setters could not take advantage of a perfect 14-for-14 effort at the free-throw line.

            The game featured 12 ties and 13 lead changes throughout. Pace’s largest lead of the night came with a five-point advantage  in each half, including a 62-57 lead after a White three-pointer with 4:05 to play. Dozier answered with a jumper before Munch drained a three to force the 12^th tie of the game (62-62) with 2:41 on the clock.           

Junior Miro Fain (New Rochelle, N.Y./Iona Prep) hit a jumper to put Pace back in front (64-62) with 2:11 to go, but that would prove to be the Setters final points and last shot attempt of the night as they turned the ball over on their last three possessions. Freshman Steve Ramos (Lynn, Mass./Hebron Academy) hit one of two free-throws to pull Franklin Pierce within a point (64-63) with 43-seconds to go and then stole the ball from White to set up Dozier’s winning basket.

            Franklin Pierce trailed by four (39-35) after a Williams three-pointer 3:36 into the second half, then posted an 8-2 run over the next five minutes, capped by a Munch three-pointer, to gain the lead for the first time in the stanza (43-41) with 11:38 left.

            A quick 6-0 Franklin Pierce run gave the Ravens a game-high six-point lead (49-43) with 9:34 on the clock. Munch hit another three to spark that run. Pace answered with a 7-0 stretch to regain the lead (50-49) after a conventional three-point play by Quincy-Jones to set up the final minutes.

Franklin Pierce (7-13, 3-12 NE-10) is off until returning home for the first time in over two weeks to host Bryant University on Tuesday, February 5, at 7:30 p.m. Pace (9-10, 8-6 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

BOXSCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY