Nelson Nets 18 Points To Lead Three Players In Double Figures As 23rd-Ranked Men's Basketball Gets Back On Track With 68-55 Northeast-10 Victory Over Southern Connecticut

January 28, 2006

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL:STONEHILL 68, SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 55

EASTON, Mass.-- Senior Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass.) scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead three players in double figures as 23rd-ranked Stonehill posted a 68-55 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over Southern Connecticut Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.

The host Skyhawks (15-4, 11-4 Northeast-10) opened up an early 11-2 lead and scored 17 unanswered points midway through the first half to take a 32-14 advantage at the break, as Stonehill shot 52 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes of play. The visiting Owls (5-15, 2-14 Northeast-10) scored 20 of the first 30 points after intermission to close to within eight at 42-34, but the Skyhawks regained a double-digit edge only to see Southern Connecticut use a 13-4 run over a 3:14 stretch to close to within three at 50-47 on a conventional three-point play by junior Cory Hudson (Baltimore, Md.). Stonehill took a four-point lead into the final six minutes of action and iced its triumph by scoring 12 unanswered points over a 5:23 stretch to lead by as many as 17 points in the final 20 seconds of action, as senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont.) converted six free throws in the final 42 seconds of play to lift the Skyhawks to the win.

Senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) added 17 points and seven rebounds in the victory for Stonehill, which also received 11 points (including three three-pointers) from junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass.). Kraus finished with seven points, five assists and four steals for the Skyhawks, who also received six points and four boards off the bench from freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.). The hosts shot 53 percent from the field and canned seven three-pointers while assisting on 21 of 24 field goal attempts.

Hudson was the lone player in double figures for Southern Connecticut with 13 points, as senior Mike Yacenda (Stamford, Conn.) and junior Jamal Cooke (Portland, Ore.) each had eight points for the Owls, who also received six points each from graduate student Alex Gambino (Huntington Station, N.Y.) and juniors Ktrice McNeill (Bronx, N.Y.) and Kevin Diffley (Bellerose, N.Y.). The visitors shot 38 percent from the floor and held a 33-31 rebounding edge, but Stonehill converted 21 Southern Connecticut turnovers into 15 points, as the Owls converted just one of eight three-point attempts as well.

Stonehill hosts Pace in a Northeast-10 outing on Wednesday evening at Merkert Gymnasium beginning at 7:30 p.m., while Southern Connecticut hosts Bentley in a Northeast-10 match-up on Wednesday evening in New Haven, Conn. at 7:30 p.m.