Worcester, Mass. (January 28) -- Led by a career-high 26-point effort from sophomore Chris Fitzgerald (Somerset, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon), the Assumption College men's basketball team built an 18-point second-half lead before holding on for a 74-69 home win over Pace University on Tuesday night. The win the first home victory for the Hounds this season.

Pace got going early on and built to an early 12-6 lead just 4:25 into the first half, capped by a fastbreak layup by senior Jonathan Merceus. A 9-2 Assumption run, finished by the first of five three-pointers from Fitzgerald, put the Hounds in front for the first time at 15-14 midway thru the period. The teams traded the lead back and forth three times over the next four minutes before sophomore Julian Aiken (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) tied the game for the fourth time. Aiken knocked down three free throws to tie things up at 22-22 with 6:49 left in the half as the Hounds were 9-for-11 at the free throw line as a team in the opening period. The Hounds regained the lead just 29 seconds later on another Fitzgerald three.

An overall 13-5 run, capped by another Fitzgerald three, extended the Assumption lead to eight at 35-27 with just 3:28 left in the opening half. The Hounds eventually led by as many as 10 in the first half after a free throw from Tim Kasper (Cologne, Germany/Gymnasium Schloss Hagerhof) before taking a 38-29 lead into the halftime break. Assumption shot 41.4 percent from the field in the first period, but knocked down five three-pointers and was 9-for-11 from the charity stripe in the half. Fitzgerald led all scorers in the first 20 minutes with 18 points, including 4-for-7 from three-point land. The Hounds held a 21-14 lead in rebounding as well in the half, with four players ending the first period with at least three boards. Merceus was the lone Setter in double figures in the first period with 10 points as Pace shot 42.3 percent from the field in the half.

After Pace briefly cut the lead to seven early in the second half, the Hounds pushed it back to double digits following a layup by freshman Marcus Murray (Silver Spring, Md./John F. Kennedy). Assumption eventually led by as many as 18 at 61-43 with 5:23 left after a Jimmy Zenevitch (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) layup.

The Hounds still led by double digits at 65-54 with 2:41 on the clock after a pair of Murray free throws before a furious Pace rally nearly sent the hosts to a defeat. A three-pointer from Denzel Primus-Devonish with 2:12 left cut the lead to 65-59, while Merceus added a pair of free throws just moments later to cut the lead down to just four at 65-61. Assumption extended the lead back to six before a Merceus free throw and a three from senior Kai Smith with just 58 seconds left pulled the Setters within one possession at 67-65.

Over the final minute, Murray went to the free throw line eight times for the Hounds and was 7-for-8 to help Assumption clinch its first home win over the season. Murray finished 11-for-12 from the charity stripe for the game and the team was 24-for-31 overall at the line.

Fitzgerald led all scorers with 26 points, along with 17 points and a team-best seven assists for Murray. Aiken and Zenevitch both added 11 points apiece as well as the Hounds won for the second time in the last three games. Assumption shot 40.7 percent from the field in the game and connected on 24-of-31 free throw attempts.

Four Setters ended up in double figures, led by 23 points and 11 rebounds by Merceus for the double-double. Primus-Devonish added 18 points, along with 12 points from Smith and 10 from Jamaal James. Pace turned the ball over just seven times in the game while forcing 15 Assumption turnovers.

With the win, Assumption improves to 5-13 overall and 3-10 in the Northeast-10, while Pace drops to 3-16 overall and 1-12 in the league with the loss.

Assumption is back in action on Saturday, February 1st as the Hounds travel to No. 19 ranked Southern Connecticut for a 3:30 p.m. start in New Haven, Conn.

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