Box Score DUDLEY, Mass. (Nov. 28) – Fitchburg State junior forward Jesus Moore hit a baseline three-pointer with two seconds left in the game to give the Falcons men's basketball team a 77-74 victory at Nichols College Monday evening. The Falcons, who had led once in the second half by one point prior to that, improve to 5-0 on the season, while the Bison suffer their first loss at 2-1.

Moore totaled just 10 points in the game, but had seven in the second half when Fitchburg outscored Nichols, 56-41 to overcome a 12-point halftime deficit. Junior forward Adam Fahey had a game-high 23 points, sinking five three pointers in the second half. Junior center Zach Valliere had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds to go with a game-high five blocks.

Bison sophomore Ryan Sheehan had 20 points to lead Nichols, netting 11 at the line on 91.6% shooting. First year guard Marlon Bennett added 13 for his third-straight double-digit effort, while senior point guard Mike Salis  had a game-high six steals to go with nine points.

Nichols led by as many as 16 in the opening half, holding Fitchburg State to a meager 26.5% shooting percentage from the floor (9-34) and a lowly 8.3% from three point range (1-12). The Bison used an 11-0 run late in the frame capped by a down-low reverse from Joe Gallant to claim a 33-17 lead, but saw two costly turnovers turn into a Mike Ingram-Rubin dunk and a layup from Magnolima Noguiera (Taunton, Mass.) to cut the lead to 12 at the break.

Both teams took better care of the ball in the second half, and Fitchburg found its stride as the Falcons shot 53% in the frame to erase the Bison's double-digit lead on a Fahey trey less than three minutes into the stanza. Another Fahey three-pointer brought Fitchburg within one with seven minutes left, but Nichols rallied to go back up two possessions on a Salis free throw with 3:26 left to play.

It wasn't until a three-pointer from Jeremy Kimber from Ingram-Rubin with two minutes left on the clock that Fitchburg took its first lead since early in the first half, edging ahead 79-60. But Sheehan found junior Justin Kuntz (Wallingford, Conn.) wide open at the baseline on an inbounds pass for Kuntz to swish a trey and retake the lead.

Sheehan made two free throws after a steal and foul to give Nichols a two-possession lead with 1:16 on the clock, but and an-one play from Ingram-Rubin brought the Falcons within one again. Kimber came to the line to tie it up, 74-74, with the first of two free throws and Kuntz snagged the rebound off the second for a fast-break layup. The ball wouldn't sink and Ingram-Rubin got the ball with 12 seconds left.

Fitchburg brought the ball down through the press and Ingram-Rubin got it to Moore at the bench-side baseline for the three-pointer sailed into the net with two seconds left. Nichols had just enough time to inbound the ball, but not get a shot off at the end.

The teams combined for 52 turnovers in the game, and parlayed them into a combined 50 points. Fitchburg used the transition game to put up 12 fast-break points to Nichols' two. Both benches were active in the game, scoring a combined 65 points.

Nichols opens up Commonwealth Coast Conference play on Wednesday in a 7:30 p.m. home game against Curry. Fitchburg hosts Becker Thursday in a 7 p.m. game. 


Box Score