STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Williams – 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
• Henderson – 15 points (4-13 FG, 3-9 3-FG, 4-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals
• Senior Noah Harris (Manalapan, N.J.) – 12 points (4-9 FG, 4-8 3-FG), 3 rebounds
• Senior Paul Greene (Freeport, Bahamas) – 10 points (4-11 FG, 2-2 FT), 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals
• Senior Brenden Choate (Nashua, N.H.) – career-high 10 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists

 KEY MOMENTS

• Southern New Hampshire trailed by three with less than eight minutes remaining in a tightly-contested opening half when back-to-back 3-pointers from Henderson sparked a 16-2 rush that put the Penmen in the driver's seat at 36-25 with less than three minutes to play. Henderson led the way with nine points during the stretch, while Williams added five. SNHU would bring a 41-32 advantage into the break.
• Franklin Pierce kicked off the second half with a 10-2 run that slashed its deficit to 43-42 less than three minutes in. It was still a one-point game with under eight minutes to go when a Harris triple triggered an 8-2 flurry that gave SNHU some breathing room at 66-59 with 5:08 to go. With the margin still at seven nearly two minutes later, five straight from the Ravens pulled them within a pair at 68-66 with 1:14 on the clock.
• A Henderson layup with 50 ticks left stopped the bleeding, before he knocked down two free throws to all but seal it with 17 seconds remaining. FPU would take advantage of a Penmen turnover by draining a 3-pointer with two seconds on the clock to make it a one-possession game at 72-69, but it only further drew the game out, as Henderson sank two more at the line to end it.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Freshman Dante Green (Dix Hills, N.Y.) netted five points (2-4 FG, 1-1 3-FG).
• Senior Jhamyl Fricas (Lawrence, Mass.) added four points (1-5 FG, 1-5 3-FG, 1-2 FT).
• Senior Jordan Brathwaite (Silver Spring, Md.) chipped in two points (1-6 FG) and two boards.
• Franklin Pierce narrowly outshot Southern New Hampshire, 42.6 percent (26-61) to 40.3 percent (25-62), while the Penmen returned the favor from long distance, 38.2 percent (13-34) to 28.6 percent (8-28). SNHU also shot it better from the line, 91.7 percent (11-12) to 69.2 percent (9-13).
• The Penmen won the the glass (40-36), scored more second chance points (10-6), received more scoring from their bench (27-11) and submitted a more impressive assist-to-turnover ratio (15/9-12/8), while the Ravens captured the paint (36-24) and scored more on the fast break (14-9). Points off turnovers were even (10-10).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire has won six of its last nine, including four of five.
• SNHU leads the all-time series with Franklin Pierce, 78-30, and has won eight-in-a-row, including an 84-66 home triumph back on Dec. 7. The last FPU win came Dec. 4, 2021 in an 87-83 home overtime win. The Penmen, who have also won 11 of their last 12, have now captured three straight in Rindge.

UP NEXT

• The Penmen return to action Saturday, Feb. 8 (3:30 p.m.) when they play host to Southern Connecticut State University at the Stan Spirou Field House.