WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson men's basketball team (6-4) cruised to an 85-55 victory against visiting FDU-Florham (3-6) Dec. 12.
Junior guard Zach Frick (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) ignited a 13-2 Pioneer run with his layup at the 12:31 mark, and junior guard Gary Whritenour (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) added five points during the burst to help turn a 14-14 game into a 27-16 WP advantage with 9:06 remaining in the first half. The Pioneers carried a 45-30 lead into the break, thanks in part to 10 tallies from senior guard Bright Mensah (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack).
WP continued to stretch its advantage during the second period, knocking down 36 of 73 (.493) field goals overall while limiting the Devils to a 19-for-54 (.352) effort during the contest. The Pioneers outscored FDU-Florham 35-10 off turnovers and 44-26 inside the paint.
Mensah led all scorers with 24 points, going 10-for-16 (.625) from the floor, adding seven rebounds and three steals. Whritenour and Frick each contributed 10 tallies, and Frick dished six assists. Junior guard Joseph Taylor (Camden, N.J./Woodrow Wilson) posted eight points, seven boards and four steals, while junior guard Galen Smith (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway Tech) added nine tallies, six rebounds and four assists.
Junior forward Donte Ali had nine points and five rebounds for the Devils, and junior forward James Moran finished with nine tallies and four boards.
William Paterson will enjoy a break for finals, visiting Rutgers-Camden Saturday, Dec. 19, at 3:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com and http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.