RINDGE, N.H (February 8, 2017) – Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) and Donte Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) each scored 20+ points as the Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team earned an 86-74 victory over Northeast-10 Conference foe Saint Michael's College on Wednesday evening at The Fieldhouse. With the win, the Ravens move to 12-11 overall and 9-8 in league play while the Purple Knights fall to 5-17, 4-13 NE10.

This evening versus Saint Michael's was the third game of the men's team Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge. FPU converted 5-of-17 (29.4%) from long range meaning $42.50 has been donated to the American Cancer Society. Since the challenge began last Wednesday, the Crimson and Grey have gone 20-of-65 (30.8%) from deep and have amassed a total of $170.00 to the ACS. To make a pledge for the Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge please click here.

McDevitt scored a game-high 21 points and came down with a contest best 11 boards. The double-double effort was his second of the season. As he's done all season, Gittens didn't disappoint as he stuffed the stat sheet once again with 20 points, eight rebounds, a game-best five assists and two steals.

Senior guard Matt Banton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) joined his teammates in double figures with 10 points, four boards, two assists and one steal. Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) was three rebounds shy of a double-double as he poured in 10 points, snagged seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Oladoyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) led Raven bench players with eight points, two steals and two caroms while Marvilio Berroa (Bronx, N.Y.) chipped in seven markers, three boards, two assists and a steal.

Reigning Spalding NE10 Player of the Week Matt Bonds recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but shot only 4-of-13 (30.7%) from the hardwood. Levi Holmes III led all SMC scorers with 19 points while Zaire Williams notched 15 markers.

Franklin Pierce shot 50.8% (33-of-65) throughout the contest compared to the guests 36.2% (21-of-58). For the second straight game, the Ravens held the advantage in the low post outscoring their counterparts 44 to 24 in the painted area. FPU never trailed in the game.

The Ravens opened the scoring in the contest as Banton found Gittens for the alley-oop layup that put FPU up 2-0 in the first 11 seconds. Jones Winston II matched Gitten's layup with one of his own to tie the score 1:20 later. An 11-3 Raven run fueled by seven points from Banton on a transition pull up three, a jumper and a steal to fast break score pushed the Raven lead to 13-5 which forced the Purple Knights into a timeout.

Following the stoppage, FPU continued to add onto their lead with five straight points that was capped off by a Dustin Cole (Standish, Maine) drive through the lane which gave Pierce a 13 point, 18-5 advantage. The Purple Knights tallied six in a row via a Derek Cheatom trey and a Jackson Thomas III three-point play brought the deficit back to single figures at 18-11.

A 10-2 Raven run ensued with an Fadojutimi feed to a trailing Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) for a two handed slam and a Fadojutimi set and shoot three keying the binge that put Pierce up 15, 28-13 with 6:09 left before half. The Ravens lead built to a half high 20, 37-17 as Gittens received an alley-oop from Sandiford and the team captain rose up high and slammed the rock down with authority enticing cheers from the home crowd. The guests tallied five in a row off a pair of free throws and a Thomas III three to make the score 37-22 at the intermission.

The guests outscored the Ravens 9-4 over the opening two minutes of the second half to cut the 15 point deficit to 10, 41-31. Berroa responded by recording five straight points via a three-ball and two free throws to push the Ravens lead back to 15, 46-31.

The hosts increased their lead to a game-high 23 points on the back of a 13-3 run that was started by a Gittens slam and capped off by a McDevitt lay-in. Saint Michael's slowly chipped back into the contest cutting their deficit to 10, 70-60 after a David Sullivan free throw. A few minutes later, the Raven lead was brought down to single figures via a Eli DiGrande freebie at 76-67, but that was the closest they would come as the Crimson and Grey held on for their second win in a row.

The Ravens head out on the road on Saturday as they travel to NE10 opponent Bentley for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off.

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 men's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).