|
| Daniel Heppert
came off the bench to score four points, grab five rebounds
and dish out three assists in the Skyhawk's loss |
Hot Shooting Dooms No. 24 Stonehill
Easton, Mass. - The Skyhawks gave up a season high 13 three pointers, including seven in the second half, as Southern N.H. put on the clamps anytime Stonehill got close, holding them to 38 percent shooting on their way to a 67-48 win at Merkert Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams traded the lead six times in the first 10 minutes, but the Penmen would take the lead for good with an 8-0 run capped by a steal and layup by Stephen Wood at the 7:03 mark that gave the Penmen a 20-15 lead.
Mike Kernan (Medford, N.J.) hit a three on the Skyhawk's next possession, but freshman Lucas Croteau responded with a trifecta of his own to push the lead back to five.
Another Kernan layup and Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass.) three ball sandwiched around a Josh Morgan-Green three cut the lead to 26-23.
However, Southern N.H. closed the half on an 8-0 run, capped with a putback by Tory Stapleton as time expired to give the guests a 34-23 halftime lead.
The Penman opened the second half on a 10-1 run and a dunk by Gerald Carter at the 17:35 mark Southern N.H. up 20, 44-24. Stonehill countered with nine unanswered points and a layup by Randall Stallworth (Toms River, N.J.) with 15:03 to play made it a 44-33 game.
That would be as close as the Skyhawks would get, as a 11-2 run capped by another Croteau three made it 55-35 with 10:57 to go. Croteau gave the Penman their largest lead at the 4:53 mark with his fourth triple of the game. A 10-4 run in the final minutes, cut the lead under 20, as Stonehill scored a season low 48, losing 57-48..
Stonehill allowed Southern N.H. to shoot 56 percent from downtown, including a 7-11 effort in the second half. The Penman, meanwhile, held the Skyhawks to just 35 percent shooting in the second half and 38 overall.
Stallworth led the way with 15 points, but had just two assists, while Kernan was the only other player to join him in double figures with 10.
Troy Bowen had four triples and 18 points, while Croteau went for a career high 15, all on three point attempts.
The loss is the third in four games for Stonehill, whose record now stands at 17-5 (12-5 NE-10). The Skyhawks return to action on Tuesday when they travel to UMass-Lowell to avenge their first loss of the season, with gametime set for 7:30.