Owens’ Season-High 34 Points Pushes Men’s Basketball By NEC, 84-66

HENNIKER, N.H. – Senior guard Devin Owens used 7-of-12 (58.3%) three-point shooting to secure a season-high 34 points in an 84-66 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over New England College on Saturday evening at Bridges Gym.

The Raiders improved to 9-2 (3-0 GNAC) while NEC dropped to 4-10 (1-2 GNAC) with the setback. Rivier's GNAC record marks the first time the team has started 3-0 in conference play since the 2007-08 campaign.

Owens started with 14 first-half points to go along with three rebounds and three assists as the Raiders jumped out to a 41-25 advantage at the break.

Making back-to-back three-pointers just a minute apart early in the second half, Owens gave his squad its biggest lead of the contest at 21 points with 16:32 remaining.

After the Pilgrims cut the deficit to 14 on a pair of Mike Stazzeri free throws, Nikolas Pignone hit a three on a feed from Robinson Baguidy to put Rivier up 63-46.

With the lead as small as 13 off a Stazzeri jumper, Owens came up clutch with a three from the top of the key with 9:21 to play to bump the lead out of reach once again.

Rivier shot 44.9% from field-goal range, as well as 41.9% from deep, while the team also managed to hit 9-of-11 free throws. The Raiders outrebounded the Pilgrims, 32-39, in the triumph.

Owens was one of six contributors on offense as Odarius Cade (13 points, seven assists), Baguidy (12 points, four assists), and Groves (12 points, 4 assists) each reached double-digit point totals.

On the defensive side, Owens hauled in a team-high nine boards while Baguidy registered four takeaways.

The Raiders will return to the friendly confines of Muldoon Gymnasium on Monday, Jan. 8 in a non-conference matchup against Lesley set to tip-off at 4:00 p.m.