Senior Patrick Lee led the Skyhawks with his eighth career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. (PHOTO BY Br. Charles McBride)

Dolphins hold Skyhawks under 34-percent shooting for third straight win

Sophomore Nate Champion (Logansport, Ind./Logansport) led the way for Le Moyne, who has also won six of its last seven, with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, making his lone three-point attempt, while converting 6-of-7 free-throws to go with six rebounds and six assists. Classmate Brian Zapisek (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) was the only other Dolphin in double-figures, adding to an otherwise balanced effort with 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore Jim Janson (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glenville) added nine points, three rebounds and four blocked shots, while senior James Cormier (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) drained 3-of-4 three-pointers in 16 minutes off the bench for nine points.

Senior Patrick Lee (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) posted his fifth double-double of the season (eighth career) to lead Stonehill as he totaled 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds with two blocked shots. Classmate Andre Tongo (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) added a team-high 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while junior Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) contributed 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field, including 1-for-3 from deep, while converting both free-throw attempts. Junior Raheem May-Thompson (London, England/Towson (Md.) Catholic) chipped in 11 points, five boards, three assists and two blocks in 16 minutes off the bench.

Senior Andre Tongo scored a team-high 12 points and added seven rebounds and three steals. (PHOTO BY Marcus Snowden)

Le Moyne took advantage of 47.1-percent (24-for-51) shooting from the field, including a red hot 53.3-percent (8-for-15) from behind the arc. The Dolphins shot 50% (12-24) from the field overall in the first half, and drained 5-of-9 (55.6%) threes in the second. Stonehill was limited to 33.9% (19-56) shooting from the field, including 7-for-27 (25.9%) from deep. The Skyhawks held a 37-34 rebounding advantage, resulting in an 11-4 edge in second chance points, but couldn't take advantage.

Le Moyne took an eight point lead (33-25) into halftime after holding Stonehill without a field goal over the final 3:42 of the half. The Dolphins kept the pressure on in the second half, scoring the first six points to run the lead to 14 (39-25) after a jumper by junior Gamal Mohamed (North Plainfield, N.J./Immaculata) 2:16 into the frame. The Skyhawks, held without a field goal over the first 3:46 to extend their drought to 7:24 overall, closed within seven (39-32) with a 7-0 run capped by a three-pointer by sophomore Mitch Amelio (Carlsbad, Calif./La Jolla Country Day) with 14:30 to play.

Another three by Amelio had Stonehill within six (47-41) with 10:57 remaining, but Le Moyne stretched the advantage back to 14 (55-41) after a layup by freshman Ryan Romich (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable) with 8:14 to play. Stonehill closed the gap again, drawing within eight (55-47) after a May-Thompson layup with 6:45 on the clock, but that would prove to be the bending point of the Dolphins the rest of the way.

Le Moyne opened its largest lead of the game at 15 points (63-48) following a three point play by Janson with 4:47 left. Stonehill cut the gap to eight on three occasions in the final two minutes, but would get no closer.

Stonehill scored 12 of the first 16 points of the game to open an eight point lead (12-4) after a Tongo three-pointer 5:08 into the contest. The teams traded three pointers before Le Moyne posted a 13-3 run to take its first lead (20-18) with 7:24 left in the half after a Champion three pointer and Romich free-throw. The Dolphins extended the lead to six (29-23) on a three point play by Champion with 2:22 left in the half and then took an eight point (33-25) advantage into halftime after a layup by Zapisek with a second remaining.

Stonehill (10-5, 7-4 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts American International College for a Northeast-10 matchup at Merkert Gym at 7:30 p.m. Le Moyne (9-6, 5-6 NE-10) visits the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.