RINDGE, N.H. (January 27, 2022) – Two days after a tense second half against Pace, the Franklin Pierce University men's basketball team took all the drama out of things at home against American International on Thursday night. Juniors Isaiah Moore (Temple Hills, Md.) and Maxwell Zegarowski (South Hamilton, Mass.) led an explosive offensive with more than 20 points apiece, as the Ravens cruised to a 96-68 Northeast-10 Conference win in the Fieldhouse.

With the win Franklin Pierce improves to 9-5 (6-3 NE10) and remains undefeated (6-0) at home this season. AIC falls to 6-15 (3-10 NE10) with the loss.

The first half was back and forth between the Ravens and Yellow Jackets. Zegarowski and freshman Sean Trumper (Ashford, United Kingdom) combined for more than half of the Ravens' first half points with 12 apiece in the opening frame. Freshman Tyrae Washington matched the production with 12 points of his own for the Yellow Jackets, which helped his team to a 40-39 lead going into halftime.

The second half was explosive for the Ravens, who scored 57 points over the final 20 minutes. Moore dropped 19 points coming out of the locker room while shooting 8-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Zegarowski added nine points on the back of a trio of three-pointers (3-for-4), and junior Brandon Kolek (Cumberland, R.I.) added nine points off the bench. In all, Franklin Pierce drilled 13 triples (13-for-18) in the second half on the way to the runaway victory.

Senior Shyheim Hicks led the Yellow Jackets with nine points in the second half. AIC went just 8-for-28 after halftime (28.6%) and was outscored 57-28 in the frame.

Moore finished with a game-high 24 points while shooting 10-for-23 and added 11 assists to complete a double-double. He was followed by Zegarowski with 21, Trumper with 17, and Kolek with 15 points, as the Ravens put four in double digits in the commanding win. Trumper was a single rebound short of a double-double of his own with nine boards. 

AIC had a pair of double-digit point scorers in Washington (16) and Hicks (11). Washington grabbed seven rebounds and had help from junior Franklin Batista on the boards, as he snagged seven of his own.

The Ravens are back in action this Saturday, at home against NE10 opponent New Haven at 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.