Smith Scores 17 Points And Grabs Six Rebounds As Men's Basketball Drops 68-51 Nationally Televised Northeast-10 Contest At Second Ranked Bentley

February 10, 2007

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Dana Center, Waltham, Mass.

FINAL: BENTLEY 68, STONEHILL 51

WALTHAM, Mass.-- Senior Jeff Holmes (Westbrook, Maine) scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead three players in double figures as second-ranked Bentley remained unbeaten with a 68-51 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over Stonehill Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

The host Falcons, now 23-0 overall and 19-0 in Northeast-10 play, broke free of a 7-7 tie with a quick 10-0 run over a four minute span to take a 17-7 edge with 12:47 remaining in the first half, as Bentley used a 28-12 rebounding advantage (including a 14-4 edge on the offensive glass) in the opening 20 minutes of play to take a 39-23 lead at the break. The Falcons then scored eight of the first 10 points after intermission to take a 22-point advantage with 15:51 remaining on a lay-in by junior Yusuf Abdul-Ali (Springfield, Mass.), as the hosts built their lead to as many as 28 points in the closing 12-plus minutes of action, with the visiting Skyhawks (13-11, 8-11 Northeast-10) able to get no closer than 16 points in the final six-plus minutes of play.

Abdul-Ali added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win for Bentley, which has not lost since dropping a five-point decision to Adelphi in last year's NCAA Northeast Regional quarterfinal last March 11th at Merkert Gymnasium. Freshman Jason Westrol (Brielle, N.J.) added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Falcons, who also received six points and nine caroms from junior Nate Fritsch (Durham, N.C.) as well as seven boards from senior Andy Smith (West Sussex, Eng.). Bentley shot 48 percent from the field and finished with a 44-25 rebounding edge that led to 42 points in the paint and 19 second chance points for the Falcons.

Sophomore Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.) was the lone player in double figures with 17 points and six rebounds for Stonehill, which also received eight points from freshman Nikola Stevanovic (Belgrade, Serbia). Sophomore Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass.) added seven points and six boards for the Skyhawks, who also received seven points from freshman AJ Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J.) as well as six points from senior Lance Clarke (Cambridge, Mass.). The visitors shot 39 percent from the floor and connected for five three-pointers on the afternoon.

Stonehill heads to Manchester, N.H. on Wednesday evening to take on Southern New Hampshire in a Northeast-10 outing that tips-off at 7:30 p.m., while Bentley hosts American International in a Northeast-10 contest on Wednesday evening at the Dana Center that also begins at 7:30 p.m.