Men's Basketball Returns Home Looking To Get Back On Winning Track Saturday Afternoon As 10th-Ranked Skyhawks Square Off With Merrimack In Northeast-10 Encounter

January 20, 2006

2005-2006 Stonehill College Men's Basketball

3:30 p.m. EST

THE GAME: Stonehill returns home looking to get back on the winning track this afternoon as the 10th-ranked Skyhawks tangle with the Merrimack Warriors in a Northeast-10 Conference clash. Stonehill enters today's action after seeing its school-record 12-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday evening with a 66-42 Northeast-10 setback to LeMoyne at Ted Grant Court in Syracuse, N.Y. Senior co-captain Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford) led the way with 12 points and three steals in the setback for the Skyhawks, who also received eight points from senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) as well as six points and six assists from senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont./Markham District). Junior Soap Toun (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) and freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) each chipped in with six points for Stonehill, which suffered its first setback in nearly two months. Merrimack enters today's action after dropping a 68-63 Northeast-10 decision to Saint Michael's on Thursday evening at the Ross Sports Center in Colchester, Vt.

HONOR ROLL HONOREES: Junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) and senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) each earned spots on the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll on Monday for their efforts in a pair of Stonehill victories last week. Clarke averaged 19.5 points, three rebounds, two assists, 1.5 steals and one block on the week, including a career-high tying 20 points, four rebounds and two steals in an 82-64 victory over Assumption while adding 19 points and three assists in an 85-66 triumph at Saint Michael's, as he shot 67 percent from the field for the week. Taylor averaged 13.5 points, four rebounds and 1.5 steals on the week, including 15 points and four boards against Assumption to go with 12 points and four caroms in the win at Saint Michael's.

LAST MEETING: Stonehill and Merrimack last met on January 2nd at the Volpe Complex in North Andover, Mass., and the Skyhawks worked overtime to post a 67-64 victory over the Warriors. Marquis Taylor led four players in double figures with 21 points in the triumph for Stonehill, which also received 15 points and six assists from Chris Kraus, who gave the Skyhawks the lead for good in the final minute of the extra session with a three-pointer. Sean Nelson chipped in with 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the visitors, who also received 11 points (including three three-pointers) from junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin).

THE SERIES: Stonehill and Merrimack are meeting for the 91st time this afternoon, and the Skyhawks hold a 58-32 advantage over the Warriors in the all-time series between the schools.

THE SKYHAWKS: Taylor leads Stonehill in scoring and rebounding at 15.6 ppg and 6.7 caroms per contest, while Nelson follows at 13.8 ppg and adds 6.1 rpg. Clarke is next at 11.9 ppg, while Kraus is also in double figures for the Skyhawks at 10.9 ppg while adding 5.2 assists per game.

THE WARRIORS: Senior Kent Leahy leads Merrimack in scoring and rebounding at 15.4 ppg and seven caroms per contest, while junior Kenny Jones follows at 14.2 ppg. Senior Bobby Murgo is also in double figures for the Warriors at 12.6 ppg.

HEAD COACH DAVID McLAUGHLIN: David McLaughlin is in his third season as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Stonehill College. A 1997 graduate of Colby, McLaughlin has guided the Skyhawks to a 39-22 (.639) mark during his tenure after previously serving as an assistant coach, including Stonehill's first 20-win season in seven years last winter. McLaughlin, who is assisted by Derik Malone, Josh Meyer and Mike Harding, is 3-1 during his career against Merrimack.

HEAD COACH BERT HAMMEL: Bert Hammel is in his 26th season as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Merrimack College. A 1973 graduate of Bentley, Hammel is the "dean" of Northeast-10 men's basketball coaches, as he sports an overall mark of 372-354 (.512) during his tenure with the Warriors. Hammel, who is assisted by Joe Gallo and John Miller, is 20-30 during his career against Stonehill.

BEST IN A GENERATION : Stonehill's 14-2 start marks the first time that the Skyhawks have won 14 of their first 16 outings overall since the 1981-82 season. Stonehill's 10-2 start in Northeast-10 play is its best in 25 years as well, as the Skyhawks last won 10 conference outings out of the blocks during that 1981-82 campaign under another Stonehill Hall of Famer, the late Tom Folliard.

THEY CALL IT THE STREAK: Stonehill's recent 12-game winning streak matched the longest such skein in school history, as the 1970-71 squad also posted 12 consecutive victories during that campaign. The Skyhawks have posted a 12-game win streak and an eight-game win skein under David McLaughlin's guidance in the last calendar year alone.

REGIONAL RANK AND FILE: Stonehill was named on Wednesday afternoon as the top-ranked team in the first NCAA Division II Northeast Regional rankings released by the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Committee, as both the Skyhawk men's and women's squads are the respective top-rated teams in the region. The NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, with records listed through games played as of January 15th, are as follows:

1.Stonehill13-113-1

2.Saint Anselm11-311-3

3.Massachusetts-Lowell12-412-4

4.Southern New Hampshire10-410-4

5.Saint Rose12-412-4

6.Bryant10-510-5

7.Queens (New York)11-311-3

8.Nyack8-48-4

9.Philadelphia U.10-710-5

10.Adelphi10-49-4

RANK AND FILE: Stonehill cracked the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Top 10 for the first time in school history on January 10th and maintained that spot in the national poll released on Tuesday. Prior to December 20th, the last time Stonehill appeared in the NABC Top 25 came in March 1998 during the Skyhawks' NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" campaign. Here is the January 17th NABC Division II national poll:

RankSchool (first place votes)RecordPointsPrevious Rank

1Montevallo (7)16-11991

2Western Washington 13-11912

3Seattle Pacific (1)13-11864

4Saint Joseph's15-11725

5Northern State14-11706

6Southwest Baptist16-11617

7Virginia Union11-21528

8Fort Hays State14-11409

9Southern Indiana17-21353

10Stonehill14-113010

11Findlay14-211911

12Barton11-1109T13

13Alabama-Huntsville14-2105T13

14Delta State13-110215

15Johnson C. Smith11-38618

16Grand Canyon14-38019

17Mount Olive11-35021

18Winona State12-44823

19Minnesota State-Mankato15-34522

20Grand Valley State14-34224

21Alderson-Broaddus11-240NR

22West Virginia State12-33312

23Northwest Missouri State12-327NR

24Truman State13-31516

25Saint Rose12-412NR

Others Receiving Votes: Ferris State 9, SIU Edwardsville 9, Tarleton State 9, Pittsburgh-Johnstown 7, South Carolina Upstate 5, Central Missouri State 4, Lynn 4, Ashland 3, Chaminade 3, St. Edward's 3, Catawba 1, Massachusetts-Lowell 1, West Liberty State 1.

IN GOOD COMPANY: Stonehill has the distinction of being one of two schools nationally to have both its men's and women's basketball teams ranked in the top 11 nationally in Division II, as the Skyhawk women moved up six spots in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll to the #11 spot on January 10th and remained at the position in this week's poll. Stonehill and Western Washington are the only two Division II schools that can claim both its women's and men's teams in the top 11.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: In conference statistics released through games of January 16th, Stonehill leads the Northeast-10 in both scoring defense (62.8) and field goal percentage defense (.386), and the Skyhawks also lead the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.34) and defensive rebounds (28.71 drpg). Stonehill also ranks second in scoring margin (+11.5), assists (17.64 apg) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.284). Individually, senior co-captain Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J./Don Bosco) leads in assist-to-turnover ratio for the second straight season (2.64), while Marquis Taylor ranks second in defensive rebounds (6.79 drpg).

NCAA RANK AND FILE: Stonehill is ranked in six team categories in the latest NCAA Division II national statistical leaders through games of January 15th, as the Skyhawks are sixth in won-lost percentage, 12th in field goal percentage defense, 28th in scoring defense, 32nd in three-point field goals per game, 38th in scoring margin and 43rd in free throw percentage. Chris Kraus is 30th in free throw percentage and 45th assists, while Sean Nelson ranks 50th in field goal percentage.

MORE RANK AND FILE: Five Stonehill athletic teams have now cracked the top 11 in their respective sports during the 2005-2006 academic year: Field Hockey (#4), Men's Cross Country (#9), Men's Basketball (#10) and Women's Basketball (#11). The defending national champion Skyhawk women's lacrosse team has been picked as the top-ranked team in Division II circles as well in the Lacrosse Magazine pre-season poll.

BIG D-MAC ATTACK: After winning just 14 games in a two-and-a-half year stretch, Stonehill has posted a 34-10 (.773) mark in its last 44 contests under David McLaughlin's tutelage dating back to November 2004.

A GRAND ENTRANCE: Marquis Taylor became the 30th player in Stonehill men's basketball history to reach the 1,000 career point plateau with a 15-point performance in the Skyhawks' 82-64 win over Assumption on January 10th. Dezmond Morgan was the last Skyhawk to reach that plateau, as he did so last season ironically in a January match-up with Assumption. Here are the members of Stonehill's 1,000 Point Club:

1.Mike Allocco2,3991969-73

2.Jon Cronin2,3011988-92

3.Bob Reitz2,2181979-83

4.Bill Zolga1,8221977-80

5.Mike Barros1,6791984-88

6.George Peterson1,6041964-67

7.David Donnelly1,4981995-99

8.Ed Grzembski1,4861987-91

9.Brian Cronin1,4741985-89

10.Dick Munson1,4481962-65

11.Leo Denault1,3981958-61

12.Paul Sincero1,3681950-53

13.Chris Butler1,3621991-95

14.Ron Richards1,3021965-68

15.Bob Duarte1,2791983-87

16.Tony Fiore1,2551981-85

17.Jason Jacobsen1,2271988-92

18.Kyle Quimby1,1851999-03

19.Art Horan1,1211968-71

20.Dezmond Morgan1,1192001-05

21.Derrik Jerman1,098 1989-93

22.Henry Jackson1,0901970-73

23.Jamal Gomes1,0821991-95

24.Howie Bain1,0631971-74

25.Lorenzo Lapido1,0611990-94

26.MARQUIS TAYLOR1,0452002-06

27.Adrian Machado1,0431992-96

28.Rollie Hollins1,0211971-74

29.Charlie Simonds1,0111973-77

30.Justin LoVerme1,0071997-01

AYE, AYE CAPTAINS: Seniors Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J./Don Bosco) and Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford) have been named as co-captains for the 2005-2006 edition of Stonehill men's basketball. Lauricella, who also served as a Skyhawk captain last season, averaged 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds off the bench last season, while Nelson added 5.6 points and 3.4 caroms per contest in a reserve role as well last winter for Stonehill.

SKYHAWK TALK: Monday's win over Saint Anselm was Stonehill's first over the Hawks at Merkert Gymnasium since December 9, 1997Stonehill has won six straight in the series with Saint Michael's dating back to January 2003Clarke hit the 20-point plateau in a game for the second time this season in the January 10th triumph over Assumption, as he matched his career-high set on opening night (November 18th) against MolloyThe January 7th victory was Stonehill's 36th in 60 series meetings with 2005 NCAA national runner-up Bryant, as the Skyhawks have swept the last two regular season series match-ups (four contests) from the Bulldogs The Skyhawks have assisted on over two-thirds of their field goals on the season, notching 273 assists on 411 field goals through 16 gamesThe Skyhawks have led at the half in 13 of their 16 outings to date Prior to last season, Stonehill's last 20-win campaign came in 1997-98 when the Skyhawks won the Northeast-10 regular season crown en route to a berth in the NCAA Division II "Sweet Sixteen" The Skyhawks have eclipsed the 80-point plateau on 20 occasions in McLaughlin's 61-game tenure as head coach.

SKYHAWKS ON THE WEB: For the second straight season, Stonehill basketball can be accessed on the world wide web through Free Teamline, a service of TRZ Sports of Kent, Ohio. A total of 15 Skyhawk regular season men's basketball broadcasts will be available throughout the 2005-2006 season via Free Teamline by accessing the official Stonehill Athletics website at www.stonehillskyhawks.com, powered by Presto Sports. Returning to call all of action of Stonehill basketball once again this winter is the tandem of Charlie Bergeron and Brian Buckley, who have served as the voices of Skyhawk Basketball since 1998.

WHO'S NEXT: Stonehill heads to Waltham, Mass. on Thursday, January 26th to take on Bentley in a Northeast-10 clash at the Dana Center that tips-off at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday, January 28th to host Southern Connecticut in a league outing here at Merkert Gymnasium that begins at 3:30 p.m. EST.