RAPID REACTION WITH HEAD COACH KAREN PINKOS

When and Where: January 8, 2020 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 73, Franklin Pierce University 68
Records: SNHU 9-5 (2-4 NE10), FPU 6-7 (0-6 NE10)

Junior Gyanna Russell (E. Hampton, Conn.) and senior Victoria Dean (Plymouth, Mass.) each netted 17 points to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team to a 73-68 win against Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday evening at the Stan Spirou Field House.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Russell – 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-5 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
• Dean – 17 points (6-11 FG, 4-9 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists
• Senior Karlee Ziliak (Evansville, Ind.) – 14 points (4-10 FG, 4-9 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 3 assists
• Sophomore Jenna Roche (Braintree, Mass.) – 7 points (3-7 FG, 1-1 3-FG), 5 assists 
• Junior Sarah Deyo (Attleboro, Mass.) – 6 points (3-3 FG), 5 rebounds
• Freshman Adriana Koivisto (Pomfret, Conn.) – 6 points (3-6 FG), 3 rebounds

KEY MOMENTS

• Southern New Hampshire held a five-point lead at 50-45 with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter when eight points from Ziliak carried a 19-6 rush that gave the Penmen their largest lead of the night at 69-51 with 5:55 to play.
• Franklin Pierce would not go quietly, however, as eight points from Izzy Lipinski and five more from Sophia Holmes anchored a 17-3 counter-run that pulled the visitors to within 72-68 with less than a minute to go. The Ravens chose not to foul early, however, and a Dean free throw with under five seconds on the clock all but sealed it.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Holmes led the Ravens with 15 points (7-8 FG, 1-2 FT), while Lipinski narrowly missed a double-double with 14 points (7-14 FG) and nine boards.
• The Ravens outshot the Penmen, 50 percent (30-60) to 44.3 percent (27-61), while SNHU returned the favor from long distance, 32.4 percent (11-34) to 9.1 percent (1-11).
• SNHU was slightly better from the stripe, 88.9 percent (8-9) to 87.5 percent (7-8).
• The Penmen collected more points off turnovers (20-12) and on the fast break (11-1), in addition to featuring a better assist-to-turnover ratio (18/15-11/20), while the Ravens owned the paint (52-28) and the glass (37-25), and scored more second chance points (17-9).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire snaps a two-game skid, while FPU drops its second straight.
• Franklin Pierce leads the all-time series, 59-31, despite SNHU having now won nine of the last 10 meetings, including five straight. It is also the seventh straight home win in the series for the Penmen, who have not lost to the Ravens at the Stan Spirou Field House since Feb. 13, 2013 (73-62).

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Saturday, Jan. 11 (1:30 p.m.) when they take on Adelphi University.
• The next home contest for SNHU is Saturday, Jan. 18 (1:30 p.m.) when it plays host to Le Moyne College at the Stan Spirou Field House. The game will air on WGIR 610-AM.

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