Stonehill Rolls at Southern Connecticut State, 81-58


Junior Brian Hamor drained 4-of-6 three-pointers on his way to a game-high 21 points to lead the Skyhawks to victory. (PHOTO BY Marcus Snowden)

Skyhawks ride 68-percent first half shooting to fourth win in last five

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 21, 2012) – Stonehill College used 67.9-percent first half shooting to build a 20 point halftime lead and never looked back in rolling to an 81-58 victory over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Moore Fieldhouse this afternoon.

Stonehill, winners of two straight and four of its last five, scorched the nets at 67.9-percent (19-of-28) in the opening frame, including a blistering 8-for-12 (66.7%) from three-point range, on its way to 55.6% (30-54) shooting for the afternoon as the Skyhawks drilled 12-of-20 (60%) three's.

Junior Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) led four Stonehill players in double-figures with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, while converting 3-of-4 free-throws to go with four assists and a steal. Senior Patrick Lee (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) contributed his sixth double-double of the season (ninth career) with 14 points and a game-high ten rebounds, shooting 6-for-11 from the field.

Junior Adam Fazzini (Drums, Pa./Crestwood) connected on 4-of-5 three-pointers, all four in the first half, for 12 points off the bench. Senior Andre Tongo (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) chipped in ten points and four boards.


Senior Patrick Lee recorded his ninth career double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds. (PHOTO BY Br. Charles McBride)

Sophomore Greg Langston (Stratford, Conn./St. Joseph's) led Southern Connecticut with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field while converting all three free-throws to go with five rebounds and three steals. Freshman Tylon Smith (Manchester, Conn./Kingswood-Oxford) added ten points, three assists and two boards, while junior Trevon Hamlet (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) chipped in with a team-best nine rebounds, seven points and two assists.

Southern shot 38.6-percent (22-for-57) from the field, going empty on 11 attempts from beyond the arc, and posted a 37-31 rebounding advantage.

After Southern forced the lone tie of the game (10-10) after two free-throws from freshman Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) with 13 minutes to play in the first half after Stonehill had scored the game's first five points. Stonehill, who never trailed in the contest, outscored the hosts 20-8 over the next five and a half minutes to open a 12 point lead (30-18) after a Hamor three 7:36 before the intermission. The Skyhawks drained four threes in all during that stretch
, including a pair by Fazzini.

Stonehill closed the half with a 14-2 spurt to take a 20 point lead (46-26) into halftime, capped by a jumper from freshman Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) with two seconds left. Fazzini and Hamor sparked that stretch with three-pointers over the final five minutes.

Lee opened the second half with a tip-in to extend the Stonehill lead to 22 (48-26), but Southern responded by cutting the deficit to 12 (52-40) after Langston finished off a conventional three point play with 13:53 still to play. Smith chipped in with six straight points during the rally as well. Two Houston free-throws trimmed the Owls deficit to nine (54-45) with 11:45 remaining, but the Skyhawks answered with a 19-7 rush to regain a game-clinching 21 point lead (73-52) after a Tongo three with five minutes to play. SCSU wouldn't get closer than 19 points the rest of the way.

Stonehill (12-5, 9-4 NE-10) is back on action on Wednesday when it visits NE-10 leaders Adelphi University for a key Conference clash at 7:30 p.m. There will be an Alumni reception in the Campbell Lounge of Adelphi's Center for Recreation and Sport from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Saturday, January 28, when they host Pace University at 3:30 p.m. Southern Connecticut State (8-9, 6-7 NE-10) hosts Southern New Hampshire University on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.