Clarke, Rudowitz Lead Quartet In Double Figures With 15 Points Each As 25th-Ranked Men's Basketball Drops 78-70 Northeast-10 Decision At Franklin Pierce

December 2, 2006

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, December 2, 2006

Spaulding Gymnasium, Keene, N.H.

FINAL: FRANKLIN PIERCE 78, STONEHILL 70

KEENE, N.H.-- Senior Darryl Minnifield (Boston, Mass.) tied his career-high with 21 points to lead four players in double figures as Franklin Pierce posted a 78-70 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over 25th-ranked Stonehill Saturday afternoon at Keene State's Spaulding Gymnasium.

The host Ravens (5-2, 3-1 Northeast-10) used a quick 7-0 run midway through the first half to turn a six-point lead into a 13-point cushion (31-18) with 8:35 to play before intermission on a Minnifield lay-in, but the visiting Skyhawks (3-2, 1-2 Northeast-10) closed the half on a 10-2 run over the final 6:43 to action to trail by just two (35-33) at the break. Franklin Pierce regained a six-point lead (47-41) over the first 5:36 of the second half before Stonehill forged the final tie of the day at 49-49 with just under 13 minutes remaining on a lay-in by freshman Nikola Stevanovic (Belgrade, Serbia), but the Ravens responded by scoring 12 of the game's next 14 points to take a 10-point advantage at 61-51 with 6:11 to play. The Skyhawks closed the gap to three points on a pair of occasions in the final four minutes, but Minnifield and sophomore Timothy Munch (Blauvelt, N.Y.) combined for 10 free throws in the final 46 seconds of action to close out the scoring.

Freshman Marcus Wellman (Monroe, Conn.) added 17 points and six assists in the win for Franklin Pierce, which also received 13 points from Munch as well as 10 points and a game-high six rebounds from senior Sean Mayo (Saco, Maine). The Ravens shot 52 percent from the field but controlled the contest at the foul line, missing just one of 22 attempts from the charity stripe on the afternoon, including a 17-of-18 effort in the final 20 minutes of play.

Senior Lance Clarke (Cambridge, Mass.) and freshman AJ Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J.) each netted 15 points in the setback for Stonehill, which also received 14 points from Stevanovic and 12 points from sophomore Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.). Freshman Randall Stallworth (Toms River, N.J.) dished out nine assists for the Skyhawks, who shot 49 percent from the field and connected for nine three-pointers while holding a 25-22 rebounding edge.

Stonehill travels to Worcester, Mass. on Tuesday evening to take on Assumption in a Northeast-10 outing that tips-off at 7:30 p.m., while Franklin Pierce heads to Syracuse, N.Y. to take on LeMoyne in a Northeast-10 match-up that also begins at 7:30 p.m.