Sophomore Jack Cole scored all 11 of his team-high point total in the second half to go with eight rebounds. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Ravens secure win with six minute second half barrage

RINDGE, N.H. (February 6, 2013) – Franklin Pierce University used a 20-2 run over the middle portion of the second half to claim a 73-53 triumph over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.

Senior Eric Jean-Guillaume (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic) led Franklin Pierce with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 1-for-2 from three-point range, and converted all four free-throw attempts to go with four assists, two rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Junior Andre Blackwood (Paterson, N.J./Paramus Catholic) added 15 points (12 second half) in 18 minutes off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, two rebounds and two assists.

Classmate Ellis Cooper (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) chipped in ten points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists, while sophomore Ryen Vilmont (Philadelphia, Pa./Hamden South) pulled down a team-high six rebounds to go with eight points.

Sophomore Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) led Stonehill with 11 points (all second half) and a game-high eight rebounds with two steals and an assist as he made 5-of-8 shots from the field, including his lone attempt from three point range. Senior Sam Markle (Branford, Conn./Saint Thomas More) scored all ten of his points in the first half, connecting on 2-of-4 three-pointers and both free-throw attempts, while classmate Adam Fazzini (Drums, Pa./Crestwood) posted nine points and five boards. Freshman Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) chipped in nine points, connecting on 3-of-5 three's.

Senior Sam Markle netted ten first half points for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Franklin Pierce finished shooting 56.5-percent (26-for-46) from the field, including a blistering 66.7% (14-21) in the second half as the Ravens canned 6-of-7 (85.7%) three-pointers. The Ravens shot 50% (10-20) from beyond the arc overall and posted a 23-15 advantage in points off turnovers and 30-18 edge in bench points. Stonehill shot 35.7% (20-56) from the field, including 8-for-22 (36.4%) from deep, shooting 5-for-6 (83.3%) from the free-throw line.

Stonehill led the majority of the first half, despite trailing by a point (31-30) at the half, and held a three point lead (38-35) after a Cole three-pointer five and a half minutes into the second half. A Cole layup gave the Skyhawks their final lead of the night (40-39) with 13:15 to play before Franklin Pierce caught fire.

Franklin Pierce reeled off a 20-2 run over the next six minutes to assume control. The Ravens drilled five three-pointers during that stretch, including three from Blackwood, to open a 17 point lead (59-42) after Blackwood's third triple with 7:27 to go. Franklin Pierce extended its lead to 20 with a three-pointer from junior Georgios Papapetrou (Athens, Greece) with 5:35 left and would go on to lead by as much as 22 down the stretch before settling in on the 20 point final margin.

Stonehill scored the first four points of the game (all from the free-throw line) and held a ten point lead (14-4) after a layup from senior Raheem May-Thompson (London, England/Towson (Md.) Catholic) 6:44 into the game. Franklin Pierce closed within five (14-9) after a jumper from Jean-Guillaume with 10:58 remaining in the half, but the Skyhawks got back to back three-pointers from Markle and Fazzini to open an 11 point lead (20-9) with 9:44 to go in the half.

Franklin Pierce used a 13-3 run to close within a point (23-22) after a Jean-Guillaume jumper with 3:54 to play in the half. The Ravens hit three from beyond the arc during that stretch. Stonehill led by three (27-24) after a jumper from senior Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) with 2:02 remaining in the half, but Franklin Pierce closed the half with a 7-3 push to take a one point lead (31-30) into halftime.

Stonehill scored the first basket of the second half to regain the lead (32-31) a minute and a half in. The teams traded the lead back and forth over the first seven minutes of the frame before Franklin Pierce's clinching run.

Stonehill (10-10, 6-10 NE-10) returns home on Saturday to host Merrimack College for a key NE-10 clash in Merkert Gymnasium at 3:30 p.m. Franklin Pierce (15-5, 12-4 NE-10) visits Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks mobile app on iTunes and the Android Market.