Freshman Carter Smith led the Skyhawks with 12 points today. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Crawford leads Purple Knights to victory

COLCHESTER, Vt. (February 16, 2013) – Saint Michael's College posted a 74-59 victory over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Ross Sports Center this afternoon.

Sophomore Corey Crawford (Dover, Del./The Phelps School) led four Saint Michael's players in double figures with a game-high 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including 1-for-2 from three-point range, while converting all four free-throw attempts to go with a game-best eight rebounds and two assists. Classmate James Cambronne (De Bary, Fla./The Winchendon School) added 14 points off the bench on 6-of-13 shooting with six rebounds, while freshman Greg Grippo (Edison, N.J./Rutgers Prep) posted 12 points, five boards and three assists. Sophomore Mike Thompson (Rosedale, N.Y./Christ the King Regional) chipped in with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, and three boards.

Freshman Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was the lone Stonehill player in double-figures with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, including 2-for-5 from three-point range, while converting both free-throws with two assists and a steal. Senior Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y./Bishop Gibbon) added nine points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, while sophomore Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) finished with nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, 3-for-5 from the line, three rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Senior Adam Fazzini (Drums, Pa./Crestwood) chipped in with eight points and a team-high six boards.

Saint Michael's shot 49.1-percent (27-for-55) from the field, including 7-for-19 (36.8%) from three-point range. The Purple Knights finished with a 38-23 rebounding advantage, limiting Stonehill to just five offensive rebounds, and a 38-18 break in points in the paint. Stonehill finished shooting 38.9% (21-54) from the field, but just 35.7% (10-28) in the second half, connecting on 8-of-25 (32%) threes.

Saint Michael's jumped out to a nine point lead (14-5) after a Grippo layup five and a half minutes into the game and then extended that to ten points (19-9) with a three-pointer from sophomore Dom Ditlefsen (Portland, Ore./Sunset) after eight minutes. Stonehill responded with a 17-6 run to take the lead (26-25) after a jumper by senior Raheem May-Thompson (London, England/Towson (Md.) Catholic) with 3:24 remaining in the half. Freshman Pierce Cumpstone (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) sparked the rally with back-to-back three-pointers, while Fazzini added a triple as well.

Saint Michael's scored the final eight points of the half to carry a seven point lead (33-26) into halftime, capped by a Crawford three-point play. The Purple Knights pushed their lead back to ten (42-32) nine minutes into the second half. Four straight points by Cole, including a dunk, pulled Stonehill back within five (44-39) with 8:44 to play, but Saint Michael's reeled off eight straight points to open a 13 point lead (52-39) after a three-point play by Cambronne with 7:24 left.

            Stonehill drew back within eight (64-56) after a Smith three with 2:26 to play, but would get no closer as Saint Michael's scored the next nine points to open a 17 point lead (73-56) after a layup from senior Derek Knutty (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney) with 1:10 remaining to seal the win.

            Stonehill (11-12, 7-12 NE-10) returns home Wednesday night to host Southern New Hampshire University at 7:30 p.m. Saint Michael's (8-15, 5-14 NE-10) hosts Merrimack on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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