Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State men's basketball team snapped its two-game losing streak on Saturday with an 84-75 win over Franklin Pierce at Moore Field House. Sophomore Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) led the team with 17 points off the bench and was 3-for-7 from three-point range. Senior Tylon Smith added in 15 points and team-highs in rebounds (nine) and assists (five). Junior Stefon Williams (Jamaica, N.Y.) had 14 points and junior Desmond Williams (Torrington, Conn.) tallied 11 points and six rebounds.  Sophomore Austin Carter (Bloomfield, Conn.) added season-highs with eight rebounds and four blocks, and senior Jose Cruz (Shrewsbury, Mass.) had a season-high six points in the winning effort. With the victory, Southern ups its record to 14-5 (9-3 NE-10), while the Ravens fall to 11-7 (6-5 NE-10).

After senior Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y.) opened the game with a jumper in the paint, the Owls then fell behind and trailed by as many as five over the game's first seven minutes. Desmond Williams put the Owls back on top 16-15 with a layup, before FPU's Ryen Vilmont hit a pair of free throws to help the Ravens retake the lead. Cruz then followed with a put-back at the 11:45 mark to give the Owls the lead for good at 18-17.

After the Ravens cut the Owls' lead to one, Southern used an 11-3 run to increase the lead to 41-32. The run featured a jumper by Houston, a tip-in by Cruz, two field goals from Desmond Williams, and a pair of free throws from Smith and Houston.

Stefon Williams used four straight points to give the team their largest lead of the half, at 44-34 with 34 seconds until halftime. Following a last second three by the Ravens' Aboubacar Casse, the Owls held a 44-37 advantage at half.

Southern opened up the half by jumping out to its largest lead of the ballgame, following a three-pointer by junior Deshawn Murphy (Hamden, Conn.), giving the team a 49-38 lead just 1:45 in the final half. The Ravens would keep their deficit in single digits until Mallory sank a three-pointer with 7:53 to go, bringing the lead back to 10 at 72-62. Franklin Pierce hung around, but would not get within four points until the 2:51 mark, when a Paul Becklens' free throw made it a one possession game at 76-73. Smith would then answer for the Owls by running off four straight points to get the lead back to seven.

Carter added his final block of the game by stuffing a layup attempt with 51 seconds left to go, when the Owls were up by six. Overall, Smith and Desmond Williams combined to score the Owls last nine points of the game, including the last six from the free throw line, helping Southern preserve the 84-75 victory.

SCSU returns to action on Tuesday evening at Moore Field House when they will host Merrimack. Actions will tip off at 7:30 p.m., following the women's game.