This Franklin Pierce University men's basketball recap is presented by Belletetes

RINDGE, N.H. (December 30, 2018) – The Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team came within two points from the lead in the second half but could not withstand a late surge by no. 4 nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College as the Hawks earned an 83-66 victory in the Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon. With the win, SAC remains unblemished at 10-0, 6-0 NE10 and the Ravens fell to 5-7, 2-5 with the defeat.

The Hawks broke an eight-game losing streak in Rindge earning their first win since Sunday, November 29, 2009, when they defeated FPU 71-66. The Ravens took 22 more shots than their counterparts but made two fewer shots from the field. There were 47 total fouls called in this physical affair with 29 being called on the Ravens which led to 38 free throw attempts by Saint Anselm compared to 16 for Pierce. Saint Anselm also outrebounded (56-to-45) and out produced the Crimson and Grey in the paint (36-to-22).

Raven junior guard Doyin Fadojutimi (Temple Hills, Md.) scored a team-high 18 points to go along with four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Sophomore guard Sean Fasoyiro (Houston, Texas) chipped in 13 markers, a team-high seven boards – three offensive with one assist in 19 minutes off the bench.  Graduate forward Lolami Lola-Charles (Aberdeen, Md.) blocked a game-best three shots in the setback.

Saint Anselm was led by two 20 point scorers. Chris Paul tallied a double-double with a match-best 22 points and 11 rebounds. He also converted 12-of-15 (80%) of his free throw attempts. Teammate Tim Guers played all 40 minutes and nearly recorded a triple-double with 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

FPU started off the game scoring eight straight points to lead 8-0 in the early going. A Fadojutimi baseline drive kick out to freshman guard Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) in left corner for pop and shoot three pushed Pierce ahead 3-0. A Couple of possessions later, Fadojutimi knocked home a three-pointer on right wing then on the next Raven defensive possession Moore stole the rock and went the other way for the fast break up and under. The Hawks responded with nine straight markers of their own to gain their first edge, 9-8.

Point trading ensued until FPU team captain David Bradbury Jr. (Deep River, Conn.) tilted the edge back towards the FPU side with a catch and shoot long range connection on right wing pushing the Ravens ahead 13-11. Gustav Suhr-Jessen of Anselm drained a three after good perimeter ball movement, which gave the Hawks their first two-possession lead 19-15. FPU scored six straight to jump back in front 21-19 off a wing three-pointers from Fadojutimi and Jeremy Arthur (Westbury, N.Y.) on the left side. His trifecta took a kind bounce around the rim and fell through the twine.

Two Spencer Cline freebies expanded the Hawk advantage to seven 32-25 with 4:12 to play in the half. A Guers take upped the Hawk margin to eight 34-26 one minute later. Cody Ball opened up the first double-digit lead driving uncontested to the rack for an easy two, 36-26. The Ravens came up with two blocks, by Fadojutimi and Moore on a late Hawk offensive set behind seven markers and cut their deficit to two possessions, 36-30 when Moore split his free attempts. Saint Anselm headed into the intermission with an eight-point, 38-30 advantage.

The Crimson and Grey put their bodies on the line in the first stanza taking four charges on the defensive end. FPU struggled shooting going 10-of-37 (27.0%) from the floor but hit on 6-of-13 (46.2%) from beyond the arc. They also forced the Hawks into 11 first-half turnovers.

A technical foul was called on the SAC bench at the end of the first half. Fadojutimi headed to the line and gained two points for Pierce with the clock stopped. This was the start of six straight points as Fadojutimi anticipated a pass, got his hand in the lane, picked off the ball and went untouched to the rack for a two-handed dunk. Junior guard Falu Seck (Washington, D.C.) brought the margin to 38-36 scooping a layup off the right glass and in.

Behind 56-49, the Ravens got two consecutive thefts on back-to-back possessions which led to a Fasoyiro transition three-ball on the left wing. A bad pass by Danny Evans resulted in another bucket off a turnover when Sam van Oostrum (Sheffield, England) hung in the air on the lower right block and dumped home a left-handed layup, to trail 56-54.

At the 8:26 mark, Lola-Charles swatted a layup attempt by Paul off the backboard. The loose rock was corralled by Fadojutimi who a couple of possessions later converted a second chance right corner three, to make it a one-possession 62-59 game. Saint Anselm used 10 consecutive points to move ahead by 13, 72-59 with eight of those 10 markers coming from the charity stripe. Bradbury Jr. stopped the binge when he rifled home a free throw line jumper off a second chance rebound by Lola-Charles. The Hawks outscored the Ravens 8-1 in the next two minutes to take an 18 point lead that they would never give back.

The Ravens hit the road on Wednesday when they travel to Cheyney for a 3:00 p.m. showdown.

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). You can also follow the men's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensMBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fpuravensmbb/).