When and Where: November 18, 2023 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 64, Franklin Pierce University 59
Records: SNHU 2-1 (1-0 NE10), FPU 1-2 (0-1 NE10)
Graduate student
Alex Rivera (Lowell, Mass.) led four scorers in double figures with a game-high 14 points, as the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team defeated Franklin Pierce University, 64-59, Saturday in both its home and NE10 opener at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Rivera – 14 points (4-11 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks
- Senior Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) – 13 points (4-9 FG, 3-6 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 4 rebounds
- Grad student Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) – 10 points (2-8 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 4-4 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists
- Junior Kurtis Henderson (Brockton, Mass.) – 10 points (3-9 FG, 4-4 FT)
- Junior Derrick Grant Jr. (Plainfield, N.J.) – 8 points (4-6 FG), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
KEY MOMENTS
- Franklin Pierce scored the first five points of the contest, led by as many as eight in the opening half and was in front by five in the final minute when a Kamba 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left trimmed the Southern New Hampshire deficit to 29-27 at the break.
- The opening 10-plus minutes of the second half saw two ties and two lead changes. With Franklin Pierce ahead, 46-43, with just over eight-and-a-half minutes remaining, a Henderson pull-up jumper sparked a 9-2 Penmen run that flipped them into the lead at 52-48 with 6:09 to go. Henderson had four during the stretch, while Rivera's triple at the 6:49 mark gave SNHU the lead for good at 50-48. The Ravens would get as close as 60-59 with under 11 seconds on the clock, but the Penmen went 4-for-4 from the line to seal it.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Junior Paul Greene (Freeport, Bahamas) posted six points (3-5 FG), and four boards.
- Senior Preston Santos (Providence, R.I.) tallied three points (1-2 FG, 1-1 3-FG) and three rebounds.
- Junior Jordan Brathwaite (Silver Spring, Md.) grabbed five rebounds and blocked a pair of shots.
- Southern New Hampshire outshot Franklin Pierce, 38.2 percent (21-55) to 34.4 percent (22-64), including 34.8 percent (8-23) to 14.3 percent (3-21) from beyond the arc. The Penmen were also better at the line, 93.3 percent (14-15) to 80 percent (12-15).
- The Penmen won the glass (39-37), scored more second chance points (12-11) and received more scoring from their bench (22-17), while the Ravens captured the paint (34-20), scored more points off turnovers (19-6) and featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (8/9-11/15).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire is 2-1 for the second straight season.
- SNHU leads the all-time series with Franklin Pierce, 74-30, and has won four straight. The Penmen have also won eight of their last nine, including three-in-a-row at home against the Ravens. The last FPU win came Dec. 4, 2021 in an 87-83 home overtime win, while the last time the Ravens were victorious at SNHU was Jan. 8, 2020 (91-86).
- The three 3-pointers and 14.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc SNHU limited Franklin Pierce to are both the lowest marks for an opponent since the Penmen held Adelphi to 2-for-27 (.074) from deep in a 69-62 home win Feb. 14, 2022.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen are back in action Tuesday, Nov. 21 (7:30 p.m.) when they head across town to take on Saint Anselm College in a game that will air on WGIR 610-AM and Fox Sports 930-AM.
- The next home game for SNHU is Wednesday, Nov. 29 (7:30 p.m.) when they it plays host to Saint Michael's College at the Stan Spirou Field House in a contest that will be broadcast on WGIR 610-AM and Fox Sports 930-AM.
