Box Score






NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A Tylon Smith (Manchester, Conn.) floater with 2.4 seconds left gave the No. 2/4 Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team a 79-77 victory over Franklin Pierce in the NCAA second round game. The win puts the Owls into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996-97.

Smith scored four of his team-high 21 points in the final minute. The junior also distributed eight assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Down a bucket with less than 60 seconds to go, Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y.) and Smith combined to knot things up. Houston forced Franklin Pierce freshman Donte Gittens (Hartford, Conn.) into making a telegraphed cross-court pass, which was anticipated and stolen by Smith.


The Ravens' freshman was able to get back on the play, stuffing the layup by the Owls' point guard. However, Houston, hustling all the way, had the put back to send Moore Field House into euphoria.

For the contest, Houston grabbed 12 rebounds and scored nine points.


Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) added 17 points, while Deshawn Murphy (Hamden, Conn.) tossed in 10 for the home team, which scored the game's final six points.

Greg Langston (Stratford, Conn.) scored eight points to move into third place on the Owls' career scoring chart (1,856 points).

Austin Carter (Bloomfield, Conn.) scored eight points and led the Owls with eight blocks.



Southern Connecticut, which led 45-39 at the half, set a school-record with its 29th victory of the season.


Franklin Pierce was led by Ellis Cooper (Northhampton, Mass.). The senior barreled his way to 30 points and 16 rebounds, both game-highs.

The Ravens, who finish their season at 21-8, received a double-double from Adrianos Vourliotakis Perdikaris (Cholargos, Athens), 10 points and 13 rebounds. The duo, along with Ryen Vilmont (Philadelphia, Pa.), combined for 60 points, 78% of the team's total.

With the victory, the Owls, 29-2, face Saint Anselm (22-7), the No. 3 seed, in the East Regional Final Tuesday night.