BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Junior Patrick O'Gorman drained a career-high 11 three-pointers and the Pratt Institute men's basketball team shot a blistering 59 percent to defeat Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham, 80-70, at the Activity Resource Center on Wednesday evening.
Pratt (5-11) now has won two of three after the turn of the calendar and their second straight victory at home.
O'Gorman was on fire all night finishing 13-of-17 from the field (76 percent) and 11-of-13 (85 percent) from three-point land for his season-high 38 points – his third career 30-plus-point game and second highest single-game tally. The junior also dished out a team-high five dimes.
Sophomore Cameron Hatcher recorded his second-straight double-double and his fourth of the season with an 18-point, 12-rebound effort, shooting 8-of-14 from the field. Junior Ace Bibbs added 16 points to round out three in double figures and shot 6-of-8 with a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc. Junior Daniel Golub grabbed 11 boards and added four points.
FDU (2-13) was led by Carson Woods 24 points, five rebounds and four steals. Michael Dabas added 12 points.
The visitors scored on their opening possession for their lone lead before the Cannoneers ran off 11 unanswered – six from O'Gorman and five from Hatcher – and never trailed again. Pratt shot 56 precent in the half and the lead ballooned to 14 before falling back to a 39-32 cushion. O'Gorman knocked down seven treys for 21 points in the half.
FDU knocked down back-to-back triples to open the second stanza and trim the lead to one before an 8-0 spurt capped off by a Bibbs three-point play pushed the lead back to 47-38. Pratt built a double-digit advantage that expanded to 17 on an O'Gorman trifecta with 9:35 to play.
The visitors made another late surge and pulled within four on two occasions, but couldn't get any closer as the Cannoners improved on their first-half shooting connecting at a 62 percent clip in the second half. O'Gorman went 4-for-4 from deep in the half for 17 points and Bibbs came alive for 14.
FDU finished with a respectable 43 percent (25-of-58) shooting effort with nine treys. Pratt drained 14 triples as a team and shot 59 percent overall (31-of-53).
Pratt hits the road this Saturday, January 14 facing Purchase College at noon.
