NORTHEAST-10 CONFERENCE CO-CHAMPIONS!...Smith Nets Career-High 21 Points, Hall And Toun Combine For 27 Points As 23rd-Ranked Men's Basketball Claims Share Of First Northeast-10 Regular Season Title In Eight Years With 80-55 League Triumph At Assumption
February 22, 2006
STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Laska Gymnasium, Worcester, Mass.
FINAL:STONEHILL 80, ASSUMPTION 55
WORCESTER, Mass.-- Freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.) scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed five rebounds as 23rd-ranked Stonehill claimed a share of its first Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball regular season championship in eight years with an 80-55 league victory over Assumption Tuesday evening at Laska Gymnasium.
The visiting Skyhawks, who finish the regular season at 21-5 overall, tied for the top spot in the final Northeast-10 regular season standings with Bentley at 17-5 in conference play, as Stonehill took a share of its sixth league crown after being picked to finish eighth in the pre-season coaches poll. The Skyhawks will be seeded second in the upcoming Northeast-10 playoffs and earn a bye into the quarterfinal round to face the winner of Saturday's first round match-up between seventh-seeded Southern New Hampshire and 10th-seeded Pace next Monday evening at Merkert Gymnasium at 7:00.
Stonehill overcame a slow start Tuesday evening to take a seven point lead at the break at 27-20, as six of the Skyhawks' seven field goals in the opening 20 minutes of play came from behind the arc. The visitors scored 21 of the first 28 points after intermission to take a 21-point cushion with 14:30 to play, and Stonehill led by as many as 29 points in the closing minutes of action in picking up its seventh win in the last eight outings.
Smith connected for a career-best five three-pointers as part of his career best effort for Stonehill, which also received a career-high tying 14 points from fellow freshman Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass.), who netted 14 points and canned a pair of treys. Junior Soap Toun (Cranston, R.I.) was also in double figures for the Skyhawks with 13 points, as Smith, Hall and Toun combined to hit for 10 of Stonehill's 12 three-pointers on the evening. Senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) chipped in with nine points in the triumph for the visitors, who also received seven points and a career-high nine rebounds off the bench from freshman Colin Scanlon (Centreville, Va.). The Skyhawks scored 21 points off turnovers on the night and held a commanding 24-7 scoring edge at the foul line, shooting 52 percent from the field in the second half alone.
Sophomore Corey Diethorn (Pittsburgh, Pa.) netted 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in the setback for the host Greyhounds, who close out their season at 7-20 overall and 5-17 in Northeast-10 play. Sophomore Greg Twomey (Groton, Mass.) added 12 points for Assumption, which also received seven points from freshman Pat Shea (Salem, Mass.). The hosts shot 40 percent from the field and canned six three-pointers but were hurt by 20 turnovers for the contest.
Stonehill posted home wins over both of its potential quarterfinal round opponents during the regular season, as the Skyhawks notched a 68-58 win over Southern New Hampshire last Wednesday and collected an 83-71 triumph over Pace on February 1st.