Courtland Bluford keys Greyhounds past Franklin Pierce in key Northeast-10 Conference game

February 18, 2009

Assumption 93, Franklin Pierce 72

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Junior guard COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) came off-the-bench to scored 16 points and lead the Assumption College men's basketball team past Franklin Pierce University, 93-72, in Northeast-10 Conference action WEDNESDAY night in the Laska Gym.

The Greyhounds moved to a comfortable 53-36 halftime advantage as they shot 23-for-40 from the floor (.575). Bluford scored 14 points in the period making six-of-nine attempts from the floor.

Assumption is now 17-8 overall and 14-6 in the conference, while Franklin Pierce falls to 10-16 and 7-14. The Greyhounds are tied for third place with Merrimack and Stonehill behind Bentley (17-3) and UMass Lowell (15-5) with two games remaining to play. They play at Southern New Hampshire (14-11, 10-10) SATURDAY and host first-place Bentley TUESDAY as part of their annual senior day.

They can finish as high as second and no lower than fifth with the top four teams drawing a first-round playoff bye. Teams that finish fifth through eighth would then host first-rund games with those that finish ninth through twelfth on February 28.

Three other Greyhounds also earned double-figure scoring totals as sophomore forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name) (12 points), senior guard/captain MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian) (12 points) and sophomore guard DOMINIQUE PRICE (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) (10 points, 4 assists, 3 steals). The trio shot a gaudy 16-for-21 from the floor.

Sophomore guard JEFF MANCHESTER (Gorham, ME/Gorham) led the Ravens with a game-high 22 points including four three pointers. Manchester scored 16 points in the first half making six-of-eight floor attempts including all four of his three-pointers.

The Greyhounds also got solid performances from freshman guard KEVIN DONAHUE (Pawcatuck, CT/Stonington) (9 points), postgraduate forward GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton Dunstable) (8 points, 6 assists, 3 steals), senior guard/forward/captain PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem) (8 points, 6 assists, career best 6 steals) and sophomore forward TOBIN HAASE (Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield) (7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocked shots).

GREYHOUND NOTES: Twomey recorded his 500th career field goal in the second half and now has 1,362 points (18th on the Hounds' career list) just 25 points behind Donnie Walls ‘92 (1,387) . . . he has also played in 116 games to rank ninth in that category and 3,743 minutes to rank fourth in that category . . . he needs 119 minute to have played more minutes than any Greyhound in history . . . Michael Alston ‘84 played 3,861 minutes . . .

Click here for ASSUMPTION-FRANKLIN PIERCE box score