MANCHESTER, N.H. – Tim Guers became only the second player in program history to score 30+ points in three-straight games as the Saint Anselm College men's basketball team fought off American International College for an 88-80 victory in Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday night in Manchester, N.H.
Box Score
Guers netted a game-high 33 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists to lead the Hawks. Guers joins Anthony Greer '64 as the only other player in program history to score 30+ points in three-straight games as Greer accomplished the feat from Jan. 7, 1964 through Jan. 20, 1964.
Taylor Fortin and Chris Braley scored 20 points apiece, with Fortin handing out seven assists and Braley hauling in 14 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Grant Mackay and Kyle Green each netted four points while combing for 13 rebounds on the night.
The Yellow Jackets had four players reach double-figures in scoring led by 24 points from Juwan Moody. Jayvon Pitts-Young added 14 points, while Rasheed Howard and Bruce Spruell added 12 points apiece.
Fortin opened the scoring in the game with a three-pointer, but AIC answered with a 9-0 run to grab an early 9-3 lead with 17:26 to play in the first half. Moody extended the AIC advantage to 14-7 with a three-pointer, and this time the Hawks had the answer as Saint Anselm used an 18-4 run over the next six-plus minutes of action to take a 25-18 lead. Guers netted 12 points during the run – including three triples – while Mackay, Fortin and Braley also added baskets.
After a layup from Howard trimmed the lead to 25-20, the Hawks kept up the pressure and extended the advantage to 34-20 by using a 9-0 run by Guers and Braley with 7:46 to play.
AIC responded with a run of its own as an 11-0 spurt by the visitors pulled the Yellow Jackets back to within one possession at 34-31 only two minutes later. Fortin ended the run with a layup, and the Hawks scored 10 of the final 14 points in the period to take a 44-35 lead into the half.
Out of the break, the two teams traded baskets and AIC slowly chipped away until they had climbed back to within 55-52 with 14:02 remaining in the half. Braley and Guers scored on back-to-back trips, and a triple from Guers followed by two Fortin freebies pushed the Saint Anselm lead back out to 64-57.
A 5-0 run by Guers gave the Hawks a 72-62 lead with 7:31 remaining, but the Yellow Jackets forced their way back into the game as a pair of Bruce Spruell free throws helped AIC trim the lead to 74-69 with 5:52 to play. The Hawks had one more monster run in them as a 10-2 run by Guers and Fortin staked the home team to an 84-69 lead they would not relinquish, as AIC would only get as close as eight the rest of the way, and the Hawks held on for the 88-80 win.
Saint Anselm shot 48.5% (33-of-68) from the field, 42.3% (11-of-26) from beyond the arc and 68.8% (11-of-16) from the charity stripe in the win. AIC knocked down 46.7% (28-of-60) of their shots, 52.6% (10-of-19) of their triples and 70% (14-of-20) of their free throws. The Hawks dominated the glass, 45-27, but committed 14 turnovers to just eight for the Yellow Jackets.
The Hawks have now won three-straight games to improve to 9-6 overall and 6-6 in the NE10, while AIC falls to 7-12 and 1-10 in league games. Saint Anselm steps out of conference play this Saturday when they travel to LIU Post for a 1 p.m. matchup with the Pioneers.
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