SETTERS DROP OT HEARTBREAKER
TO SAINT ROSE 86-80
WOODS CAREER-HIGH 24 POINTS NOT ENOUGH TO LIFT THE SETTERS
ALBANY, NY- The Setters dropped an overtime heartbreaker to the College of Saint Rose despite a career-high 24 points from freshman Ryan Woods (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's). Pace lost 86-80 to Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Conference action at the Nolan Gymnasium. The Setters drop to 7-13 overall and 5-10 in the NE-10, while the Golden Knights improve to 9-11 and 7-8 in conference play.
Saint Rose started out quick, opening the game with a 10-4 run in the first three minutes of play. The Setters battled back, taking a brief one-point lead on a three-pointer by Adrian Mills (Woodbridge, VA/Paul VI) with just under 14 minutes to play in the first half. The Golden Knights would rally, eventually taking a 29-23 lead with 7:56 left in the opening frame. A 10-2 burst by the Setters would put them in front by two with 4:01 to go. Woods had six points in the rally, while a pair of free throws by Mills capped the rally giving the Setters a 33-31 lead. The teams would trade points in the final minutes, with Saint Rose scoring four points inside of one minute to play to take a slim 38-37 lead into halftime.
The final half was tight throughout as the Setters would take advantage of Golden Knights miscues, scoring 14 points in the second half off Saint Rose turnovers. Pace would take a six-point lead at 70-64 with 4:10 left in the game on a pair of free throws by Laurence McGhee (Linden, NJ/Linden). Saint Rose would trim the game to one point as a triple by Shea Bromirski and a bucket by Malcolm Williams pulled the Golden Knights to within one at 70-69 with 3:19 left in the game. The Setters would pull ahead by four points at 74-70 with 39 seconds left in regulation as Carlos Howard (Fort Washington, MD/Gonzaga High) down a pair of free throws. A lay-up by Evan Lane got Saint Rose to within two and in the waning seconds, a steal by Malcolm Williams set up Jermaine Clark for the game-tying hoop, forcing an extra session of play.
In overtime, Saint Rose would strike first on a pair of free throws by Williams. The Setters would take their lone lead off the extra frame as Woods nailed a trifecta. Josh Pettetier responded with a Saint Rose triple to put the Golden Knights back in front. On the ensuing two possessions for the Setters, two blocks were recorded by Evan Lane, thwarting the Setters scoring opportunities and allowing Saint Rose to pull away with a 7-0 run for an 83-77 lead with 2:10 left in overtime. A free throw by Woods and a lay-up by McGhee got the Setters to within three, but a three-pointer by Clark would ice the game, allowing Saint Rose to escape with the victory.
For the Setters, Woods finished with a career-best 24 points, while grabbing eight rebounds. McGhee chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and three steals. Mills totaled 10 points, five boards, four assists and five steals.
Pace returns to action on Wednesday, February 4, when the Setters travel to Syracuse, NY to take on the Dolphins of Le Moyne College in a Northeast-10 match-up scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
