Sophomore guard Derek Rodgerson nearly recorded his first career double-double to lead FP past District of Columbia.

FP
Holds off UDC Rally, 57-54
Rodgerson leads Ravens with near double-double

CALIFORNIA, Pa. (December 28, 2001) - Franklin Pierce University
survived a late rally to defeat the University of District of Columbia, 57-54, in first day action at the California University (Pa.)/Holiday Inn Tournament in Hamer Hall tonight.

The Ravens (5-4, 2-4 NE-10) advance to face the winner of tonight's second game between the host Vulcans and Ohio Valley College in tomorrow night's Championship game at 8 p.m. UDC will face the loser of tonight's second game at 6 p.m.

FP
matched its largest lead of the game with a 12-point cushion with 3:01 to play after a jumper by senior Zvonko Ilic (Nis, Yugoslavia/K.K. Student), but UDC would not go away quietly.

After a layup from Brandon West, Frank Crawford pulled the Firebirds within seven (53-46) with a three-pointer with 1:50 to play.

Melvin Reid converted a layup off a turnover by FPC's V.J. Kwity (Torrance, Calif./West) to pull UDC within five with 90-seconds to play. Two Kwity free throws pushed the lead back to seven, but Dion Thompson made just one-of-two from the line at the 1:05 mark forcing the Firebirds to foul down the stretch.

The strategy nearly worked as Kevin Scott (Mississauga, Ontario/Iona Catholic) missed the front end of a one-and-one allowing UDC to pull within four (55-51) on a Calvin Stith lay-up with 35-seconds on the clock.

Derek Rodgerson (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) hit one-of-two from the line and the Firebirds closed the gap to 56-54 when Thompson drained a three-pointer with 15-seconds to play.

Rodgerson split another trip to the line, giving UDC a chance to send the game to overtime, but a Crawford three-pointer missed the mark.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well, with FP
winning despite a 32.2-percent (19-59) night from the field compared to 33.3% (18-54) for UDC. The Ravens led 25-20 at the intermission despite shooting 28.1% (9-32), but held UDC to 24% (6-25) in the opening 20-minutes.

Rodgerson led all scorers with 17 points and nearly registered his first career double-double as he added nine rebounds. Kwity added 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, while junior point guard Tom Waterman (Bangor, Maine/Bangor) chipped in six points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Stith led UDC, posting a double-double with 16 points, aided by a 6-6 effort from the line and 5-9 from the field, and game-high 12 rebounds. Thompson added 13 points for the Firebirds.