PACE DROPS A
HEARTBREAKER TO SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE IN OVERTIME, 78-75
MANCHESTER, N.H.- The Pace University men's basketball team dropped a tight 78-75 Northeast-10 Conference battle against the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire on Saturday evening at the SNHU Fieldhouse.
The loss will drop the Setters to 6-11 overall and 4-8 in the Northeast-10. The win bumps Southern New Hampshire up to 9-9 overall and 5-8 in conference play. Pace is now 2-4 on the road this season.
The two teams played each other close all half with no team taking a lead bigger than five points. Pace's formula in the first half was taking care of the basketball, and scoring off turnovers. Pace only had four turnovers in the half, compared to 13 by the Penmen. Pace took advantage of the turnover differential by outscoring Southern New Hampshire in the points off turnovers category 11-4. The Penmen's first half formula couldn't have been any different from the Setters as they relied on efficient offense, and rebounding. When the Penmen didn't turn the ball over it seemed as if they didn't miss shooting 58 percent from the field in the first half, while Pace only shot 35 percent. The Penmen also out-rebounded the Setters 20-15 in the half. The result from the two teams different formula's was ultimately a wash as Southern New Hampshire led Pace by one at the half 27-26.
Both teams continued to play each other close in the opening minutes of the second half as Pace held a slim lead at 39-37, with 14:43 left in the game. This is where Pace's offense finally came alive as the Setters went on a 16-8 run over the next five minutes to make the score 55-45 with 9:23 left in the game. The Setter run was fueled by Adrian Mills (Woodbridge, VA/Paul VI) who had a solid second half for Pace. Mills had seven points in the run, and scored a total 16 points in the second half for the Setters. After two Delroy Daley (Bronx, NY/Saint Raymond) free-throws the Setters were still comfortably up by seven 64-57, with 3:13 left. Southern New Hampshire then went on to outscore Pace 8-1 in the final three minutes of the game. The Penmen's Stephen Wood made one out of two free-throws with 16 seconds left to tie the game at 65. Pace had a chance to win it at the buzzer but a Mills jumper fell short which meant overtime in Manchester.
In the overtime period the two teams traded baskets over the first three minutes which made the score 67-67 with 2 minutes left in the overtime period. Southern New Hampshire then went on an 8-3 run to make the score 75-70 with 35 seconds remaining. Pace got as close as two down the stretch, but a key turnover with seconds remaining put the game out of reach as the Setters would lose by three.
Pace was led by Mills who finished the game with a game-high 20 points, a team-high five rebounds and two assists. The Setters also got a solid performance from Randy Wilson (Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) who finished with eight points, four rebounds, a team-high five assists and two blocks. Pace finished the game shooting 46 percent, while the Penmen shot 60 percent from the field.
Pace returns to the court on Sunday, January 25 as they stay on the road to take on Merrimack College in North Andover, MA. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
