MEN'S BASKETBALL OUTSLUGS MERRIMACK, 97-94
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Pace University men's basketball team edged out the Warriors of Merrimack College, 97-94, in a Northeast-10 Conference match up at the Volpe Gym in North Andover, MA. The Setters even their overall record to 6-6 on the season, moving to 5-2 in the NE-10, while the Warriors fall to 8-4 overall, 3-4 in conference play.
Pace had five players in double figures led by senior Ryan Williams' (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) game-high 25 points on 7-for-19 shooting from the field, including going 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Williams also brought down seven rebounds. Classmate Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) recorded a double-double with 17 points and a game-best 15 rebounds to go along with five blocks, while senior Gibraltar White (Gautier, MS/Gautier) dropped 16 points on 7-for-15 shooting. Sophomores Laurence McGhee (Linden, NJ/Linden) and Carlos Howard (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga College High) contributed with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Merrimack matched Pace with five players in double digits as Darin Mency notched a team-high 22 points on 10-for-25 shooting from the field. Mency also grabbed a team-best 11 boards for the double-double. Gerry Corcoran added 16 points off the bench going 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Darren Duncan also recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 12 assists, while Micky Burtnyk and Jared Brownlee finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Pace started the game on a 6-0 run on a pair of threes from Williams and Quincy-Jones. The Setters would never trail in the first half as the Warriors would only be able to tie the game once at 17 with 12:52 remaining in the half. Pace led by as many as nine points on multiple occasions, as both teams traded buckets. The Setters would take the 44-40 advantage into the break
The Warriors took their first and only lead on a three pointer by Chris Winters, giving Merrimack a 49-48 advantage with 18:33 left in the game. The lead would not last long as Quincy-Jones hit a pair of three throws seconds later as Pace regained the lead for good. The Setters would push their lead to double figures as Callum Jones' (Manchester, ENG/St. Thomas Moore Prep) lay-up with 13:58 gave Pace the 68-56 lead. The Warriors would come back, however, cutting their deficit back down to single digits. A lay-up by David Kennedy with just 13 seconds remaining made it a one point game, 95-94, but that's as close as the Warriors would get as Williams hit two free throws for the 97-94 final.
Free throws were the key to the game down the stretch as Pace converted on 24-for-28 (85.7%) from the line, compared to 15-for-21 (71.4%) for Merrimack. Pace also held the battle of the glass, 52-49.
Pace shot 39.7% (31-for-78) from the field for the game, including going 11-for-27 (40.7%) from three. Merrimack hit 40.5% (34-for-84) from the field, but just 11-for-39 (28.2%) from three.
The Setters return to action on Tuesday, January 8th
as Pace will host the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University
in a Northeast-10 Conference match-up at the Goldstein Fitness
Center on Pace's Pleasantville campus. Tip-off is scheduled for
7:30 p.m.