Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – In a contest that featured many ebbs and flows, the Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team held off a late push from Franklin Pierce to secure an 86-82 win over the Ravens on Saturday afternoon.

TEAM RECORDS: Southern Connecticut (13-6, 9-3 NE10) | Franklin Pierce (10-8, 7-5 NE10)

Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) notched his fourth career double-double with a team-high 24 points, a career-high 10 assists and five rebounds. Joey Wallace (Rochester, N.Y.) tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Austin Carter (Bloomfield, Conn.) totaled 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Carter moved into sole possession of second place in career blocks at SCSU and now has 190.


IT WASN'T OVER UNTIL: Mallory hit two free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining to pad Southern's lead to four at 86-82. The Owls held their largest lead of the game, 11 points, with a 77-66 advantage that came with 5:44 remaining. Franklin Pierce then went on a 16-7 run to climb within two points in the final seconds.

SPURTS EARLY, BUT THEN ALL EVEN: The two teams traded runs in the first half. A 7-0 run gave FPU a 20-11 lead before the Owls went on a 16-0 run for a 27-20 cushion. The Ravens scored the next seven points to tie it at 27, and later went ahead briefly at 30-29. SCSU went back in front from there, but Matt Banton hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the frame to knot it at 40 at the half.

THE DECISIVE RUN: FPU held a 61-56 lead with 12:42 to go, but Southern took control with an 11-0 run and never trailed again. Carter's hoop with 10:36 for good put SCSU in front, 62-61.

UP NEXT: at Assumption, Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.