RINDGE, N.H. – Tim Guers poured in a game-high 29 points, but the Saint Anselm College men's basketball team dropped a 76-71 decision to Franklin Pierce University on Saturday afternoon at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse in Rindge, N.H.
Box Score
The Hawks had their four game winning-streak snapped to fall to 4-3 overall and 4-3 in the NE10, while Franklin Pierce improves to 6-4 and 5-2 in league games with the win. Saint Anselm returns to action on Dec. 19 when they travel to Bridgeport University for a 4 p.m. matchup.
Guers knocked down 12-of-20 shots, including 5-of-7 three-pointers, to go with seven rebounds and two assists to lead four scorers in double-figures. Taylor Fortin and Chris Braley added 11 points apiece, with Braley recording a double-double with 11 rebounds. Cody Ball also added 10 points.
Franklin Pierce was led by 19 points and six rebounds from Mike McDevitt, while Jordan Lackey had 16 points and Matt Banton added 15 of his own.
Cody Ball gave the Hawks an early 7-4 lead with a three-pointer before Franklin Pierce answered with an 11-2 run to take a 15-6 advantage with 13:51 to play in the opening half. Tim Guers and Brenden Vessichio connected on back-to-back jumpers to pull back to within 15-13, and Guers later tied the game at 17-all with a three-pointer from the top of the key.
Franklin Pierce answered with a 5-0 run and the Hawks responded right back with a 6-0 run of their own as a Cody Ball layup in traffic gave the Hawks a 23-22 lead with 7:04 remaining in the half.
With the score tied at 24-24, Franklin Pierce ended the period with a 16-4 run to take a 40-28 lead into the half.
FPU's Matt Banton scored the first four points of the second half to give the Ravens a 44-28 lead in the opening 34 seconds of the stanza. Tim Guers connected on back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 44-34, and the two teams traded baskets until Harrison Taggart's first bucket of the game and a sweeping runner from Guers made it a 48-42 game with 16:04 to play.
A 1-for-2 trip at the line followed by a score inside by Chris Braley made it a one possession game at 48-45 with 15:10 remaining and the Hawks completed the comeback when Tim Guers knocked down a 23-foot triple to tie the game at 48-all just over a minute later.
Taylor Fortin gave the Hawks their first lead since the 16:56 mark of the first half with a pull-up jumper, and after a triple by FPU's Dustin Cole, Guers knocked one down from the same spot to keep it a 54-54 game. Franklin Pierce responded again, using a 9-2 run capped by a Banton triple, to take a 63-56 lead and force a Saint Anselm timeout with 8:16 remaining.
Guers made it a 63-60 game with back-to-back scores, but Franklin Pierce eventually built a 67-60 lead on baskets by Mike McDevitt and Matt Banton. Chris Braley was fouled and after hitting the first free throw, his second was off the mark but tipped out for an offensive rebound by Harrison Taggart. The extra possession led to a three in the corner from Taylor Fortin, and after another make from Banton, Taggart connected on a three of his own to make it a 69-67 game with 3:23 remaining.
As they had done all day, the Ravens responded – using a 5-0 run to go back on top 74-67 with 2:14 left. Taggart went 1-for-2 at the line, and after a stop by the Hawks, Tim Guers canned another triple to get the Hawks back to within striking distance at 74-71 with 1:21 left in regulation.
The Hawks got another stop on the next Ravens possession as Guers rejected Banton at the rim, but Cody Ball's three-pointer on the next Hawk trip up the floor just missed. Saint Anselm got another stop and had two good looks at the game-tying shot, but the Ravens got the eventual rebound in the closing seconds and McDevitt hit a pair of free throws to close out the 76-71 decision.
Saint Anselm ended the game shooting 40.6% (26-of-64) from the floor, 8-of-23 (34.8%) from three and 68.8% (11-of-16) from the charity stripe. Franklin Pierce knocked down 29-of-59 (49.2%) of their shots, 31.6% (6-of-19) of their threes and 12-of-15 (80%) at the free throw line. The rebounds were even at 35 boards apiece, while the Hawks won the turnover battle, 11-15.
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