BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Senior guard Sean Smith (Moraga, Calif./Campolindo) scored a team-high 20 points and junior guard Domenic Mignone (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) posted a double-double as William Paterson men's basketball (1-0) erased a halftime deficit to come away with a 77-68 season-opening victory at Brooklyn College (0-1) Nov. 12.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After spotting the Bulldogs a 3-0 advantage, the Pioneers scored the game's next 10 points which forced the hosts into a timeout. With WP holding onto a 25-24 edge at the 6:38 mark of the first, Brooklyn closed out the half on a 10-4 run and led 34-29 at intermission.
• Beginning with a Nasir Fields' (Winslow Twp., N.J./Winslow Twp.) layup, William Paterson started to cut into the deficit, eventually tying the game at 40-40 following a pair of free throws from senior Anthony Uribe (Hackensack, N.J./Bergen Catholic) with 14:43 remaining. Deadlocked at 51-51, a 15-4 burst, capped off by Fields' driving layup, pushed WP's advantage 11. The Pioneers would lead by as many as 16, 74-58, before cruising to the 77-68 victory.  

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Smith led all scorers with 20 points, the 10th 20+ performance of his career.
• Fields contributed 15 tallies on 7-of-8 shooting (.875) and four steals.
• Mignone pulled down a team-best 10 boards to go along with 14 points and six assists, while junior Malcolm McLeod (Teaneck, N.J./Eastern Christian) filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, six points and two blocks.
• WP dominated the glass all evening, finishing with a 52-27 rebounding margin.

 
UP NEXT:

• WP faces Sarah Lawrence in the first round of the Hilton Scranton Invitational Friday, Nov. 15, at 5:30 p.m.

FOLLOW THE PIONEERS:

• http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia