BOX SCORE

LORETTO, Pa. (Nov. 14, 2011) – The Saint Francis men's basketball team fell to Lafayette in SFU's home opener Monday, 84-81, at DeGol Arena.
 
The Red Flash (0-2, 0-0) received a tremendous effort from a trio of freshman but it was not enough to overcome and 3-point and free throw hitting show put on by the Leopards (1-1, 0-0). Jim Mower and Ryan Willen each recorded 22 points and combined to go 8-of-12 from the 3-point arc and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. A trio of Saint Francis freshman put together a tremendous performance as Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ), Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) and Dominique Major (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) combined for 38 points.
 
Lafayette got off to a fast start from the 3-point arc in the first half as the Leopards attempted just six point two shot attempts and 15 3-pointers. Mower led the way with 13 in the first half going 4-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point arc. The Saint Francis bench stepped up for the injured Umar Shannon (Atlantic City, N.J./Atlantic City), who did not see action. Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) dropped 11 points in the first half to lead the Flash off the bench while Dominque Major, in his first college game, scored eight first half points. SFU controlled the paint in the first half outscoring Lafayette 10-4 but the Leopards picked up 12 points off seven Red Flash turnovers.
 
Saint Francis rallied and even pulled ahead of Lafayette by as many as five but were doomed by the excellent 3-point and free throw shooting of Lafayette. The Flash missed five second half free throws and went 3-of-8 from behind the 3-point arc, while the Leopards went 15-of-18 from the free throw line and 5-of-8 from behind the arc. Saint Francis' missed free throw let Lafayette retake the lead and despite hold the Leopards without a field goal over the final 2:01 of the game the Flash could not retake the lead.
 
Saint Francis returns to action Saturday as they head to instate conference rival Bucknell for a 7 p.m. tip.    
 

 
GAME NOTES
- Lafayette went 9-of-15 from the 3-point arc in the first and 3-of-6 from inside the arc. For the game, the Leopards miss as many two-point shots 13 as they did 3-pointers and free throws combined.
 
- The Saint Francis starting five (Ritter, Taylor, Eatherton, Johnson and Ervin) combined to score one more point (41) than the SFU bench (40).
 
- Saint Francis won the battle in the paint out scoring Lafayette 32-14 in the lane but the two teams each recorded 28 rebounds.
 
- Chris Johnson (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) dealt out five assist in the first half without recording a point. In the second half the junior guard added three more assists and five points. Johnson also did not record a turnover in the game.
 
- Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) was the first SFU player other than Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) to record a point coming at the 12:13 mark of the first half.  
 
- Dominque Major saw his first college action against the Lafayette. Major and Ollie Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Pinkston ) recorded their first points of their college careers on a 3-point baskets. Stephon Whyatt (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) pulled the same trick against VCU.
 
- The Red Flash freshman combined for 19 first half points for the game they totaled 38. Dominque Major led the SFU rookie with 16.
 
- Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) went perfect 8-of-8 from the floor with four block shots and eight rebounds.