RINDGE, N.H. (November 18, 2017) – All five Franklin Pierce University men's basketball starters scored in double digits including Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) who racked up a season-high 19 points as the Ravens fell by four points, 77-73 to Northeast-10 Conference and in-state rival Southern New Hampshire University in the Ravens home opener Saturday afternoon at the Fieldhouse. With the victory, the Penmen remain unblemished at 4-0, 2-0 NE10 while the Ravens slide to 2-2, 0-2 NE10.

Fadojutimi was 7-of-13 (53.8%) from the floor, came down with five rebounds, added a team-high three steals and dished out two assists. Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) poured in 15 points and handed off a squad-best four dimes. Asante Sandiford (Boston, Mass.) scored 11 points while snagging six caroms and swatting away two shots. Mike McDevitt (Cumberland, Maine) and Jordan Lackey (South Plainfield, N.J.) double-doubled with 13/11 and 11/10 point and rebound efforts. McDevitt only needs 21 more points to become the 34th member of the men's basketball programs 1,000-point club.

For the Penmen, senior guard Dimitri Floras tallied a game-high 25 points on a 5-of-8 (62.5%) performance from downtown. Floras also added four steals, four rebounds, and three assists. Teammate Daquaise Andrews notched 18 points, seven boards, four assists and one theft. Graduate forward Chris Walters never came off the floor and chipped in eight points, a team-leading eight boards and a contest-best five steals in the win.

Franklin Pierce outrebounded Southern New Hampshire by a 12 board (43-31) margin, but the Crimson and Grey struggled from the charity stripe (15-of-25, 60.0%) and with turnovers (19-to-12) in the duel.

The Penmen held a five-point advantage at 9-4 following an Andrews three-ball. FPU continued to fight as they took a six-point lead, 21-15 at the 10:23 mark when Seck drained a long-range attempt with the shot clock expiring. The game stayed around one and two possessions until Fadojutimi who was camping out in the corner, corralled a skip pass from Sandiford and sank a three-ball to move the Ravens ahead by seven, 37-30 with 2:55 left before the break. The Penmen outscored the Ravens 8-4 over the final three minutes to cut the Raven lead to three 41-38 at the intermission.

Fadojutimi started the second half in style as he anticipated a pass by Andrews, intercepted the rock and streaked down the center of the court for a one-handed jam to excite the Fieldhouse crowd as the hosts led by five, 43-38. Andrews brought his team within two points with a good layup a few minutes later before Fadojutimi on the next possession connected on another long-range attempt with 14:04 to play as the Ravens edge was reestablished at five 52-47.

Eight in a row scored by the guests regained the lead to their side as Walters drove to the rack and dished off to Floras at the last second for a corner three-ball as the Penmen led by three 55-52. After a McDevitt lay-in, Fadojutimi crashed the lane and lofted a layup into the net while being fouled. The hoop and harm led to a free throw that the sophomore guard converted as the Ravens recaptured the edge at 57-55.

SNHU responded with a 12-0 run to turn a two-point deficit into a 10-point lead as Russo notched the final five points of the binge off two freebies and a three-ball. Lackey answered back with a trey of his own to bring the Raven deficit back to single figures at 67-60. With 3:53 to go, Walters drained two attempts from the charity stripe to move the Penmen ahead by 11, 74-63. The Ravens did not back down and manufactured the contests next eight points which was capped off by a Seck catch and shoot three-pointer from the left wing as the Ravens trailed by one possession at 74-71 with 1:11 to go.

Andrews was fouled and he made both free throws with 46 ticks left on the clock as the Penmen led two possessions. FPU took a timeout and after the stoppage, Seck drove down into the post and was hacked. With the game on the line, Seck converted both free throws to regain the three-point deficit. SNHU took the clock down to seven seconds and Floras missed a three. Seck corralled the rock and passed off to Lackey for a pull-up transition three with one second to go, but his game-tying attempt rimmed out as the Penmen hung on for the slim victory.

The Ravens return to the hardwood on Tuesday when they welcome Saint Michael's to the Fieldhouse for a 7:30 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).