Patrick Shea (18 points) leads Greyhound men's basketball past Franklin Pierce, 71-58; now the winningest Division II team in New England history!

January 22, 2008

ASSUMPTION 71, FRANKLIN PIERCE 58

WORCESTER, MA --- Assumption College erased a seven-point deficit five minutes into the second half and en route to a 71-58 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball win over Franklin Pierce University TUESDAY at Laska Gym. The win made the Greyhounds the winningest Division II program in New England history.

The Greyhounds are now 1,005-821 since the program's inception, while Saint Michael's College, which won its 1,000th game earlier in the season is now 1,004-933.

Assumption, which has won eight of its last 10 games, is now 15-5 overall and 9-4 in the Northeast-10 Conference, tied for third-place with Stonehill College. Franklin Pierce is now 6-12 overall and 2-11 in conference play. The Greyhounds are the most improved team in the region following an 11-17 (9-13 conference) season-record in 2006-07.

Junior guard/forward PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem) led the Greyhounds with 18 points on five-of-seven shooting from the floor, including two-for-four from three-point territory while converting six-of-seven free-throws. Sophomore point COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) added 14 points, four assists and three rebounds, while senior forward MIKE FOTI (Franklin, MA/Franklin) chipped in 12 points, hitting four-of-seven three-pointers.

The Greyhounds shot a gaudy .643 (18-for-28) from the field in the second half, including five-of-nine (.556) from three-point range, while Franklin Pierce connected on just .393 (11-for-28) from the field over the final 20-minutes, including 2-of-10 (20%) from beyond the arc. The Ravens 23 turnovers also resulted in a 20-10 Assumption scoring advantage in points.

Franklin Pierce led 29-23 at halftime as freshman guard KINARD DOZIER (Dedham, MA/Winchendon School) led the offense with nine points on three-for-three shotting beyond the arc. The Greyhounds shot just six-of-26 (.231) over the first 20 minutes and made an amazing one-of-11 inside the arc.

The Ravens used a 13-1 run over a six-minute span to turn a three-point Hound advantage (19-16) with 8:50 left in the first half into a game-high nine-point advantage (29-20) after two free-throws from junior guard/forward TRISTAN SHIELDS (Mason, NH/Saint Bernard's) with 1:48 remaining. Dozier made back-to-back three-pointers to spark the run.

The Ravens bumped it back up to eight (31-23) as junior guard ADAM DIZUZZIO (Fitchburg, MA/Saint Bernard's) cashed in a wing jumper 12-seconds into the half. The Ravens lead was seven (38-31) after a freshman guard JEFF MANCHESTER (Gorham, ME/Gorham) drive with 15:47 to play, before Assumption began to turn the tables.

The Greyhounds then outscored the Ravens, 10-0, over the next three minutes to move to a three-point lead.

Shea opened the spurt with a driving move to the basket and after a Raven turnover Bluford soloed for another layin. A jumper in the paint by Shea and an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and layin by senior forward/captain GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton Dunstable) put the Hounds ahead by one, 39-38. Senior forward COREY DIETHORN (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley Academy) scored on a nifty reverse layin off a feed from Shea to put Assumption in front, 41-38, to complete the run.

Franklin Pierce regained the lead (45-44) with 10:43 to go, after two Manchester jumpers, but the Greyhounds reeled off a 12-0 run to take the lead for good (56-45) with 7:05 left.

Freshman forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name) started the run with a lane jumper followed by a corner three-pointer by Shea. Baldarelli connected on another driving one-hander followed by a wing three-pointer by junior guard MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian). Shea finished the spurt with two free throws.

A lane jumper by Twomey with 3:05 left made the lead 15 points, 66 51.

Manchester led Franklin Pierce with 17 points, shooting seven-of-12 from the floor, including three three-pointers. Dozier added 14 points and junior forward RIMAS VARANAUSKAS (Kaunas, Lithuania/Winchendon School) chipped in seven points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Greyhounds are at Saint Anselm College SATURDAY at 3:30 p.m., while Franklin Pierce is at Saint Rose also at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

GREYHOUNDS NOTES: senior forward COREY DIETHORN (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley Academy) now has 948 career points and 601 career rebounds in 98 games . . . senior forward/captain GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton Dunstable) has 888 career points in 76 games . . .

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