RINDGE, N.H. (November 21, 2017) – Franklin Pierce University senior guard Jemma Thacker (Nairne, South Australia) notched a game-best 20 points as the Crimson and Grey headed into Thanksgiving with their first Northeast-10 Conference victory of the 2017-18 campaign, a 65-53 decision against Saint Michael's College Tuesday evening at the Fieldhouse. With the victory, the Ravens improve to 2-3, 1-2 NE10 while the Purple Knights fall to 2-3, 0-3 NE10.

Thacker was held scoreless in the first quarter and only produced five markers in the second. 15 of her 20 points came in the second half as she drained 5-of-8 (62.5%) of her shot attempts during the final 20 minutes. She led all Ravens in rebounds with eight and tallied a contest-high five assists as well.

Fellow team captain Kelsey Mayo (Oakland, Maine) was the only other Raven player in double figures as she produced 11 points and three rebounds. Sophomore guard Mya Mosley (Worcester, Mass.) tallied nine points, six caroms, three assists and three steals while Diondra Woumn (Lynn, Mass.) chipped in eight points and six boards. Freshman forward Claudia Tucci (Trumbull, Conn.) played 10 minutes off the bench and added seven points for the Crimson and Grey.

For the Purple Knights, junior forward Samantha Delaney recorded a double-double with 12 points a game-high 10 rebounds. Saint Michael's struggled shooting the ball as they connected on 17-of-55 (30.9%) of their shot attempts for the game.

Saint Michael's led for only a minute and 46 seconds in the game when senior guard Leah Spencer sank a catch and shoot corner trey to push the guests ahead 5-2. A Woumn lay-in and split free throws by Mayo knotted the duel at five-all. The Ravens took the lead for good when Tucci made one of two at the charity stripe to move the Ravens ahead 6-5. Following a SMC turnover, freshman guard Hannah Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) buried a three-pointer from the top of the key off a Thacker feed to increase the Raven lead to 9-5. Casey Evans and Emily Ferreri cut their squads deficit to one with a free throw make and a layup. However, the Ravens closed the quarter scoring seven straight to increase their advantage to 16-8 after one quarter.

The Raven run extended into the second quarter as their lead grew to 16, 24-8 when Demi Akins (Cambridge, Mass.) picked off a pass and went the other way for a fast-break layup. Akins' lay-in capped off a 15-0 Raven scoring binge that upped their edge from one point to 16. Tucci pushed the FPU margin to 20 twice with layups in the post, one coming off a second chance and the other by way of a Mosley assist. Maddy Bennett clipped the Purple Knight deficit to 16, but Mosley increased the lead to a first-half high of 21 points thanks to a layup with 16 second left. Franklin Pierce allowed only 17 points in the first stanza to the Purple Knights as they doubled up their counterparts at the half, 38-17.

Thacker gave the Ravens a 24-point advantage, 43-19 with 8:27 left in the third by connecting on a shot from downtown off an Everidge helper. A 15-4 run by Saint Michael's cut down the Raven lead to 13, 47-34 as Brianna Purcell converted a hoop and harm. The Ravens answered with five straight points of their own as Mayo matched Purcell with an and1 and Thacker manufactured a three-ball from the top of the circle as she followed her own missed trey from the corner and grabbed the offensive board before the horn sounded as the Ravens reestablished a 19 point, 53-34 lead. The Purple Knights outscored the Ravens 19-12 in the final period, but the Pierce lead was never in danger.

The Ravens return to non-conference play on Saturday, two days after Thanksgiving when they welcome Felician University to the Fieldhouse for a 1:00 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 women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).