THE BASICS 

Score: 
Emmanuel 81 – Rivier 72

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (12-4, 8-2 GNAC)
Rivier University Raiders (6-11, 2-8 GNAC)

Location: Nashua, N.H. – Muldoon Center

Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2022

THE LEAD – Saints sophomore Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) finished with a game-high 20 points, including 10 scored over the final 3:36, helping the Emmanuel Saints to an 81-72 victory over the Rivier Raiders on Wednesday night in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• As it has seemed with many Saints games this season, Wednesday night's game came down to the final five minutes and a tied score. After trailing for nearly the entire game, Raiders senior Colin Boucher (North Reading, Mass.) tied the GNAC battle at 64-64 on a made layup with 5:36 remaining.
• From that point, the Saints turned to Pope, their leading scorer, to carry them to Wednesday's nine-point win. Over a span of 2:02, Pope sparked the Saints offense with eight points on a trio of made layups and a pair of free throws, all part of an Emmanuel 10-0 run while helping the Saints to a 74-64 lead with 1:34 to go.
• Free throws down the stretch would seal the win for the Saints as Pope finished the game with 10 of the final 17 Saints points, all in the final 3:36, leading Emmanuel to their third straight win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Pope's 20 points came on 7-of-13 shooting in 25 minutes. He added a game-high 14 rebounds to claim his sixth double-double this season.
• Sophomore Bryant Ciccio (Attleboro, Mass.) added 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Since Winter Break, Ciccio has scored in double figures in six of the Saints seven games.
• Sophomore Ryan Grijalva (Stratham, N.H.) chipped in with 13 points while senior Devin Pulsifer (Winthrop, Mass.) and grad student Zachary Crisafulli (Easthampton, Mass.) had 10 points each.
• Raiders senior Miles Gillette (Washington, DC) led Rivier with 17 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes.
• Senior Pharaoh Davis (Plainville, Mass.) added 12 points and a season-high eight assists.

UP NEXT

• The Saints are currently scheduled for more GNAC play on Saturday with a trip to Saint Joseph College of Maine, but the impending weekend Nor'easter may change those plans.
• The Raiders are set to host Norwich University in GNAC play on Saturday as well, but weather may also play a role in the status of that game.