Saint Anselm Holds Off Men's Basketball in OT, 81-76


Junior Ryan Logan piled up 24 points and a career-best 20 rebounds today. (PHOTO BY Paul Fitzgerald)

Logan leads Skyhawks with monster 24-point, 20-rebound afternoon 

EASTON, Mass. (November 21, 2015) – Saint Anselm College, ranked eighth in this week's D2SIDA East Regional poll, held off Stonehill College, ranked sixth in the region and receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II preseason poll, in overtime for an 81-76 triumph in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Senior Mike McCahey (Clarkstown, New York/Clarkstown South) led five Saint Anselm players in double-figures with a double-double effort of 19 points and 11 rebounds, scoring 15 points after halftime, as he finished shooting 6-for-11 from the field, including a three-pointer, while converting 6-of-8 free-throws. Classmate Victor Joshua (New Haven, Connecticut/Hampden Hall) added 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting, with three rebounds, while junior Harrison Taggart (Wallingford, Vermont/St. Paul's School) contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Freshman Tim Guers (Langhorne, Pennsylvania/Germantown Academy) rounded out the Hawks double-figure scorers with 11 points, connecting on 3-of-6 three-pointers, and five rebounds.

Stonehill fell despite a monster afternoon from junior forward Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) who posted his third double-double of the season (tenth career) with a game-high 24 points for his third 20-plus scoring game of the season and a career-high 20 rebounds (six offensive), posting 15 points and ten rebounds after halftime, following a first half in which he recorded nine points and ten boards. Logan made 11-of-25 shots from the floor and added two assists and three steals for the afternoon.

Senior Pierce Cumpstone (Bainbridge Township, Ohio/Kenston) added 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting, eight rebounds and a career-high matching four blocked shots. Senior Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Massachusetts/Masconomet Regional) contributed 13 points (11 after halftime) on 5-of-10 shooting, including 3-for-7 from three-point range, while classmate Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) finished with ten points, three assists and two steals.


Senior Pierce Cumpstone added 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, hitting the tying three-pointer to force overtime. (PHOTO BY SportsPix)

Saint Anselm never trailed in a game in which it led all but 35-seconds, but needed overtime to fight off Stonehill which rallied from an 11-point second half deficit, including an eight point margin with three minutes remaining. Guers gave Saint Anselm the eight point lead (64-56) with two free-throws, as the Hawks went without a field goal over the final 4:20 of regulation to open the door for the Skyhawks.

Stonehill scored the final eight points of regulation to force overtime, starting with two Smith free-throws with 2:57 left. Bramanti pulled the Skyhawks within a possession with a three-pointer with 55-seconds to play and then Cumpstone blocked a Taggart layup before drilling a game-tying triple after a timeout with 12-seconds to go. Stonehill had a bid to win the game at the buzzer after Guers missed a layup with four seconds to go, but senior Daniel Brix's (Monroe Township, New Jersey/St. Joseph) runner caromed off the backboard at the buzzer.

Saint Anselm resumed control in overtime, scoring the first six points capped by a Guers three 1:13 into the extra frame. McCahey scored the first five points of the period, including a three-pointer. Stonehill closed back within three (72-69) on a Logan tip-in with 2:15 to play, but sophomore Taylor Fortin (Tolland, Connecticut/Wilbraham & Monson Academy) connected from long distance and McCahey added a layup to push the lead to eight (77-69) with 1:21 to go.

Stonehill made one last comeback bid, pulling within a point (77-76) after a Smith layup with 27-seconds left. Logan got the run going with a three-point play before Bramanti added a layup leading up to Smith's basket. Saint Anselm held there, draining its last four free-throws, while a Cumpstone three to force a tie with six seconds remaining was off the mark, to seal the victory.

Saint Anselm shot 49.1-percent from the field (28-for-57) on the afternoon, including 9-for-21 (42.9%) from three-point range, and converted 16-of-22 (72.7%) free-throws. The Hawks were 5-for-7 from the floor in overtime, including 3-for-4 from deep, and made 6-of-8 free-throws. Stonehill overcame 28.6% (10-for-35) shooting in the first half, including 2-for-10 (20%) from three, to finish shooting 38.3% (31-for-81) overall. The Skyhawks made 45.7% (16-for-35) of its shots in the second half, but was just 7-for-13 (53.8%) from the free-throw line in the game. Stonehill held a 47-39 rebounding advantage, limiting Saint Anselm to three offensive boards in the game to outscore the Hawks 21-8 in second chance points. The Skyhawks also held a 20-8 advantage for points off turnovers and their bench outscored the Hawks reserves 26-13.

Stonehill (3-1, 1-1 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it visits Merrimack College for an NE-10 matchup at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Sunday, November 29, to host Saint Thomas Aquinas College for a non-conference contest at 3 p.m. Saint Anselm (4-0, 2-0 NE-10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

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