RINDGE, N.H. (February 15, 2017) – Franklin Pierce University men's basketball junior forward Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) racked up a career-high 31 points and personal best 11 rebounds as the Ravens suffered a two point, 94-92 Northeast-10 Conference loss to Southern New Hampshire University on Wednesday evening in The Fieldhouse. With the win, the Penmen move to 18-6, 14-5 NE10 and the loss sends the Ravens to 13-12, 10-9 NE10.

This evening versus SNHU was the fifth game of the men's team Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge. FPU converted 9-of-18 (50.0%) from long range meaning $76.50 has been donated to the American Cancer Society. Since the challenge began two weeks ago, the Crimson and Grey have gone 41-of-101 (40.5%) from deep and have amassed a total of $348.50 to the ACS. To make a pledge for the Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge please click here.

Lackey's 31 point and 11 rebound performance was the first double-double of his collegiate career. He missed only four shots on the evening as he went 12-of-15 (80.0%) from the floor and 3-of-4 (75.0%) from the free throw line. Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) was the only other teammate to join Lackey in double figures as the freshman guard poured in 11 points on 4-of-5 (80.0%) shooting, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes of play off the bench. Reigning NE10 Player of the Week Donte Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) chipped in nine points, nine boards, six assists and two blocks. Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) matched Gittens' scoring output while recording five boards of his own to go along with two assists and a steal.

All five Penmen starters scored in double-figures as Dimitri Floras led the way with a team-high 24 points, five assists and two caroms in 38 minutes of play. Devin Gilligan added 20 points, three rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Chris Walters chipped in 17 points and a team-best 11 rebounds en route to a double-double.

The game was a back and forth contest that saw a 19 lead changes throughout the game. Both team's shot the rock extremely well as each squad recorded shooting percentages above 50%.

FPU started out hot from the get go as they used a 13-0 opening run to take their largest lead of the contest as Lackey tallied seven of the Ravens 13 markers on two layups and a corner trey off a Matt Banton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) driving dish.

The large lead was short lived however as SNHU clawed back into the contest with a 13-2 scoring binge of their own to cut the 13 point deficit to two points, 15-13 following a Gilligan free throw. Raven guard Oladoyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) checked into the game and immediately had an impact as Gittens drove baseline and kicked out the rock to Fadojutimi in the corner for a trey that increased the Raven advantage to five, 18-13 with 11:27 left before break.

The half hovered between one and two possessions in favor of each team over the final 10 minutes of the period as Lackey ended things with a three on the wing assisted by Gittens that pulled the Ravens within one, 49-48 at the intermission.

Over the opening 14 minutes of the second half, SNHU stayed out ahead until Seck regained the advantage to his team's side with a driving finger roll lay-in that put Pierce ahead briefly at 78-77 with 6:40 to go.

Point trading continued over the next few possessions as no team could open up a lead of more than one point. With 2:31 to go, Banton slashed through the lane for a bucket that put Pierce back up by one, 88-87. After Banton's make, the Penmen notched seven straight points off a Floras hoop and harm, a Jerome Harris wing three pointer and one freebie by Daquaise Andrews which moved SNHU ahead by six with 1:18 left.

Sandiford gobbled up the second free throw Andrews missed and threw an outlet pass to Gittens who took the rock down low for two which made it a four point game at the 1:11 mark. Following a timeout, SNHU had a chance to ice the game, but Marvilio Berroa (Bronx, N.Y.) stepped up and took a charge from a driving Gilligan that gave FPU another chance to score.

The ball was inbounded to Gittens who took off down the court, ran right through the middle of the paint and rose up for the uncontested two handed coast-to-coast jam which brought the capacity crowd to life and more importantly moved the Ravens within two.

After a SNHU timeout, the Penmen with only a couple of seconds discrepancy with the shot and play clock, took the time all the way down and Andrews attempted a dagger layup only to miss and have Seck corral the rock. With only four seconds left, Seck found Gittens streaking down the right side of the court and the senior captain had a good look at the game-winning three, but the ball banged off back iron as the Penmen escaped Rindge with the two point victory.

The Ravens wrap up their home slate of games on Saturday when they welcome Merrimack to campus for a 3:30 p.m. Senior Day 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).