MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS SEASON OPENER, 90-81
MANKATO, MN - The Pace University men's basketball team dropped its season opener against the University of Minnesota - Duluth, 90-81, in the opener of the Pepsi Tip-Off hosted by Minnesota State University - Mankato. The Setters are 0-1 on the season, while the Bulldogs are 1-0.
Pace got off to a fast start as they began the game on a 7-0 run led by a pair of lay-ups by senior Ryan Williams (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) and would extend their lead by as many as 18 points, 26-8, at the 12:42 mark of the first half on a Williams three-pointer. Williams led the opening offensive surge scoring 12 of the 26 points. Minnesota-Duluth would answer back cutting the deficit to seven, 43-36, with 00:44 seconds remaining in the half on a three pointer by Jordan Schade. Pace would take a nine point lead, 45-36, on a jumper by sophomore Laurence McGhee (Linden, NJ/Linden) with 00:05 seconds left on the clock.
Leading the Bulldogs offense was Steve Duncan who dropped 15 points in the opening half on 5-for-6 shooting from the field, including going 4-for-5 from the line. Jordan Nuness chipped in with nine points. Williams finished the half with 15 points, while classmate Desmond Quincy-Jones (Rye, NY/Rye) added nine points. McGhee and junior Randy Wilson (Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) each contributed with eight points. As a team Pace shot 58.1% (18-for-31) from the field, including going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, while the Bulldogs shot 37.8% (14-for-37) from the field, including 4-for-14 from three.
Minnesota-Duluth continued their comeback effort tying the game for the first time since the opening tip at 52 with 13:31 remaining in the game on a free throw from Brian Skyora. The Bulldogs would tie the game for a second time at 56 and take the lead for good minutes later as Rhett McDonald converted all three of his free throws at the 11:17 mark to give Minnesota -Duluth a 58-56 lead.
Senior Maurice Douglas' (Waldorf, MD/South Maryland Christian) lay-up with 5:37 remaining in the game would cut the Setters deficit to one, 65-64, but that's as close as Pace would get as Minnesota-Duluth controlled the rest of the way building their lead to as many as 14, before taking the nine point victory, 90-81.
Skyora led the comeback effort scoring 18 points in the second half going 5-for-10 from the field and 8-for-9 from the line. Nuness added 12 points in the second half for the comeback victory. Nuness led all scorers with a game-high 21 points shooting 9-for-14 from the field. Skyora finished the game with a double-double scoring 20 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds. Duncan was the third Bulldog in double figure scoring with 19 points. Schade dished out a game-high eight assists.
Williams led all Setters in scoring with 20 points going 8-for-13 from the field, while McGhee scored a career-high with 18 points, to go along with a team-high four assists. Quincy-Jones and Wilson each chipped in with 12 points, while Wilson grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Both teams were equal in shots made as Pace shot 30-for-61 (49.2%) from the field, including 8-for-19 (42.1%) from three, while Minnesota-Duluth shot 30-for-66 (45.5%) from the field, including an equal 8-for-19 (42.1%) from three. Free throws would end up deciding the game as Minnesota- Duluth converted more free throws than Pace attempted. The Bulldogs were 22-for-26 (84.6%) from the stripe, while Pace was 13-for-16 (81.3%) from the line.
The Setters will be back in action tomorrow, Saturday November
17th, as Pace will play the host Minnesota State
University - Mankato in the finale of the Pepsi Tip-Off. Game is
scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. EST start.