Franklin Pierce Edges
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Junior Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y./Storm King Prep) added 14 points, hitting 4-of-10 three-pointers, five rebounds and two steals. He moves within nine points of becoming the 27th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. Freshman Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) contributed 11 points, aided by 8-of-10 shooting at the free-throw line, six rebounds and four steals, while junior Craig Shepherd (Grantham, N.H./Trinity) chipped in ten points, hitting 3-of-5 three’s, and four rebounds.
Junior Jon Zylstra (Uxbridge, Mass./Whitinsville Christian) led Saint Michael’s with a game-high 19 points as he hit 7-of-8 shots from the field, including his lone three-point attempt, and converted all four free-throw attempts, to go with four rebounds off the bench. Senior James Sorrentine (Pawtucket, R.I./Saint Raphael Academy) added 16 points (12 first half) and four assists, while freshman Nate Birr (Burnsville, Minn./Saint Thomas Academy) posted 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Senior Brian Monahan (Kinderhook, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) chipped in 12 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two assists.
Franklin Pierce out-rebounded Saint Michael’s 48-34 for the night and thus posted an 11-4 edge in second chance points. The Ravens shot 36.2-percent (25-for-69), including 32.3% (10-31) from three-point range, compared to 39.7% (25-63) shooting for Saint Michael’s, including 7-for-24 (29.2%) from beyond the arc.
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The game was tight throughout with four ties and ten lead changes, and came down to the final possession. A Birr lay-up with 55-seconds to play gave Saint Michael’s its only lead of the second half (71-70). After a timeout, Dozier was fouled going to the basket and made both free-throws to put Franklin Pierce back in front (72-71) with 24-seconds left.
Birr missed on his next attempt, with Dozier pulling down the key rebound and taking the foul. Dozier again hit both free-throws with 12-ticks left, setting up one last chance for the hosts. The Purple Knights original play for Sorrentine nearly resulted in a turnover and Monahan’s off-balance three at the buzzer was off the mark as the Ravens notched just their second NE-10 road win of the year.
Saint Michael’s rallied from a ten-point second half deficit to take a late lead. A Ray jumper had Franklin Pierce up ten (60-50) with 9:43 to go before a 7-0 spurt pulled the Purple Knights within three (60-57) after a Zylstra lay-up with 6:22 on the clock.
The Ravens regained a five-point edge (67-62) after a Shepherd three with five minutes to go, but the hosts scored the next five points to pull even (67-67) after two Birr free-throws with 3:11 to play. Munch answered the run with a three, but the Purple Knights were able to take its only lead of the half after Birr’s lay-up with 55-seconds left to set up the final minute.
Franklin Pierce (9-16, 5-15 NE-10) hosts Saint Anselm College in its final home game of the season on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Saint Michael’s (7-17, 5-15 NE-10) hosts top-ranked Bentley College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.