Freshman Ryan Logan led the Skyhawks with a season-high 26 points to go with nine rebounds tonight. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Santo and Mabry combine for 52 points to lead Hawks to victory 

EASTON, Mass. (December 10, 2013) – Saint Anselm College shot 64.5-percent from the field in the second half to break away from Stonehill College for a 97-81 victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium tonight.

Juniors Roy Mabrey (Belmar, N.J./Saint Thomas More) and Chris Santo (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) combined for 52 points to lead Saint Anselm to the win. Santo made 12-of-15 shots from the field, including his lone three-point attempt, and made 4-of-5 free throws for his game-high 29 points to go with eight rebounds. Mabrey posted a double-double with 23 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while chipping in six assists as he made 7-of-16 shots from the field, including 9-for-11 from three-point range.

Senior John Neilsen (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Loomis Chaffee) added 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 4-for-8 from three-point range, while adding three rebounds. Classmate Dino Mallios (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop) chipped in with ten assists and eight points.

Freshman Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) posted a season-high 26 points to lead Stonehill as he shot 8-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three-point distance, and converted 7-of-9 free-throws to go with nine rebounds an assist and steal. Sophomore Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet Regional) added 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 3-for-6 from long range, to go with two rebounds and assists. Classmate Josh Heyliger (Queens, N.Y./The Hill School) contributed 13 points, while classmate Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) chipped in ten points, two rebounds an assist and steal.

Sophomore Adam Bramanti added 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including three from three-point range. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Saint Anselm finished shooting 55.4-percent (36-for-65) from the field, including 64.5% (20-31) in the second half, and converted 20-of-27 (74.1%) free-throw attempts for the night. The Hawks also held a 16-7 advantage in points off turnovers. Stonehill shot 44.6-percent (29-for-65) from the field, including 50% (16-32) in the second half, and canned 10-of-26 (38.5%) three-pointers while converting 13-of-23 (56.5%) free-throws.

Stonehill jumped out to an early 11 point lead (20-9) with 12:29 to play in the first half after a 16-0 run, capped by five straight points from Logan. He had seven points in all during that stretch, while senior Mitch Amelio (Carlsbad, Calif./La Jolla Country Day) connected with a three-pointer. The Skyhawks lead was still nine (23-14) after Logan made one of two at the line with 10:52 left in the half, when Saint Anselm closed within two (25-23) with a Santo free-throw with 7:23 on the clock.

Smith answered with a jumper for Stonehill, but Saint Anselm fired off a 15-1 stretch to take a ten point lead (38-28) of its own after a Santo three-pointer with 3:13 to play in the half. The Hawks settled for a six point (44-38) halftime advantage, but quickly pushed the lead to 11 (49-38) two minutes into the second half on a Nielsen three.

Another Nielsen three-pointer extended the Saint Anselm lead to 15 (63-48) with 14-minutes remaining. The Hawks were up 14 (68-54) with 11:49 left and Stonehill followed with an 11-2 run to draw back within four (75-71) after a Logan layup with 6:26 still to play. Heyliger had a three-pointer and three-point play to spark the rally.

That would be as close as Stonehill would get as Saint Anselm held and clinched the win with a 20-4 spree to open a game-high 20 point advantage (95-75) after a Nielsen layup with 2:20 to play.

Stonehill (3-6, 1-5 NE-10) returns to action following the final exam period when it visits Chestnut Hill College on Friday, December 20, at 2 p.m. The Skyhawks don't return to Merkert Gym for over a month when they host Pace University on Saturday, January 11, at 3:30 p.m. Saint Anselm (6-3, 5-2 NE-10) hosts Post University for a non-conference matchup on Sunday, December 22, at 1:30 p.m.

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