DUDLEY, Mass. – Despite playing with the lead for nearly 70% of the game, Plymouth State University dropped a 95-78 decision at Nichols College in a non-conference men's basketball game at the Nichols Athletic Center on Friday night.
 
Senior Manny Sanchez (Lawrence, Mass.) led the Panthers with 17 points while going 7-11 from the floor, while classmate Devin Cooper (Newfield, N.Y.) scored 16 points of his own, shooting at a 50% clip (2 for 4 3pts, 7-14 overall).
 
The teams were knotted 66-66 with 7:35 left in the second half, but the Bison took the lead for good, then controlled the paint and converted on 12 straight free-throws in the final minutes of the game to preserve the win.
 
Plymouth State starts the season at 0-1, while the Bison start their season at 1-0.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 78, Nichols 95
  • Plymouth State (0-1)
  • Nichols (1-0)

Top Performers:

• Plymouth State
  • Manny Sanchez (17 pts, 1-3 3pt, 5 reb)
  • Devin Cooper (16 pts, 7-14 fg, 5 reb)
  • Kyler Bosse (13 pts, 6-8 fg, 4 reb, 2 ast)

How it Happened:

• The Panthers started with a 7-2 run in the opening two minutes of play when Cooper connected on his first three-pointer of the contest.
• Sophomore Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) stole the ball and broke in for a lay-up to break a 14-14 tie and spark a 14-5 run midway through the first half giving PSU a 28-19 lead.
• The Bison continued to battle back, squaring things at 32-32, but a deep three-pointer by Sanchez put the Panthers back in front and ignited a 12-4 run to close out the first half, leaving PSU with an eight-point halftime lead (44-36).
• Nichols opened the second half on a 10-0 run to pull back in front, 46-44.
• Both teams traded buckets until Bosse and Cooper hit back-to-back threes to go up 64-58, forcing the Bison to call a timeout midway through the second half.
• The hosts connected from deep to knot the game at 66-66 with 7:35 left to play, before pulling back ahead for good.
• Bosse's three-point play got the Panthers to within three, 74-71, with four minutes remaining, but the hosts got hot hitting four-of-five from the field plus 12-straight free throws to put the game out of reach.

By the Numbers:

• The Panthers went 33-of-76 (43.4%) from the floor and 6-of-27 (22.2%) from distance.
• The Bison converted 24-of-29 free throw attempts (82.8%), while the Panthers were held to 6-of-8 (75%) from the line.
• PSU held the lead for nearly 28 minutes of game play.
• The Panthers bench outscored their counterparts by a 44-19 margin.
• Points in the paint were in favor of the Panthers, 50 to 42.
• This was the first time the two teams have met since 2014.

Up Next:

• The Panthers host Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday (Nov. 9) in the home-opener at Foley Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.