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Sharp shooting and rebounding name of the game, Men’s Basketball downs Assumption, 84-72

Sharp shooting and rebounding name of the game, Men’s Basketball downs Assumption, 84-72

WORCESTER, Mass. (December 5, 2015) – The Franklin Pierce University Ravens Men's Basketball team added to their strong in-conference resume on Saturday afternoon, as a complete team effort on both ends of the floor led the Ravens to a 84-72 victory over the Assumption College Greyhounds at Laska Gymnasium. The Ravens impressed on the offensive end, shooting 52 percent (13-25) from behind the three-point line.

With the win, the Ravens improve to 4-2 overall (3-1 Northeast-10) and maintain a strong presence in the Northeast Division, while Assumption drops to 4-4 overall (1-4 Northeast-10).

Assumption came flying out of the gate, starting things off with a 13-2 run in the first three minutes of the game. However, the Ravens would find their groove on the floor after the poor start, mostly with the help of junior Matt Banton (Brooklyn, N.Y.). The guard hit three big baskets from behind the arc, and added one more with 8:19 to go in the half to give Franklin Pierce their first lead of the game at that mark, 24-22.

The crimson and grey continued to break open the first half, capped by a fast-break dunk by junior Donte Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) with 3:21 to play, giving the Ravens a 36-26 lead. Banton and sophomore Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) stood out on the floor, as they combined for 30 of the Ravens 46 points in the half, as the Ravens led 46-30. As a team, the Ravens shot 51.9 percent from the floor, including going 8-14 from behind the arc.

Franklin Pierce started the half off with a bang, as a sweet alley-oop from senior Tyler Iacuone (Mahopac, N.Y.) to Gittens got things going. However it only motivated the Greyhounds, as they went on a slight 9-2 run to begin the half. However, the Ravens once again put a stop to the momentum, forcing Assumption to shoot 41.3 percent from the floor, and were able to hold the Greyhounds to five second-chance points for the entire game.

After grabbing a game-high 20 point lead with 6:05 to play, the Ravens killed the clock down the stretch after scoring all but four of their second half points from outside of the paint.

Banton led all scorers with 24 total points on six for eight shooting from three-point land, adding in eight rebounds. McDevitt knocked down 15 points with nine rebounds, while Gittens put up a line of 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. Iacuone chipped in 10 points as the last Raven with double-digit points, while also adding in a team-high seven assists.

For Assumption, Declan Soukup led the way with 15 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Tre Owens added 14 points and five rebounds, with Jack Sullivan and Reilly Reid each grabbing double-digit points as well with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Greyhounds struggled from distance, shooting only 34.8 percent (8-23) for the game.

The Ravens return to the court this Wednesday, December 9 when they travel to Waltham, Mass. to take on Bentley University. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce volleyball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).