Largey scored 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Largey leads Skyhawks to fourth win over last five with 21 points

EASTON, Mass. (February 3, 2018) – Stonehill College closed out a key 2-0 week with a big 81-70 triumph over Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action as part of Alumni Weekend at the College on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Sophomore Dan Largey (Oceanport, New Jersey/Peddie School) scored 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half to lead Stonehill, which clinched a key series sweep of SNHU with the win. He made 6-of-10 shots from the field and converted all eight free-throw attempts on the day, while grabbing four rebounds. Classmate Will Moreton (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Edina) filled the boxscore with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot, shooting 6-for-13 from the floor, with all 19 of his points coming in the second half.

Freshman Owen Chose (Eden Prairie, Minnesota/Eden Prairie) rounded out Stonehill's double-figure scorers with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, and four rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. Senior KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) chipped in with eight points, six boards and five assists for the Skyhawks.

SNHU squandered a game-high double-double of 35 points and ten rebounds for postgrad Chris Walters (Stamford, Connecticut/Westhill), who finished 11-of-18 from the field, including 4-for-8 from three-point distance, and converted all nine free-throws. He scored 20 points in the first half alone on 8-of-11 shooting. Sophomore Eamonn Joyce (Medford, Massachusetts/Hyde School) added 12 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in support of Walters, while junior Daquaise Andrews (Queens, New York/Thomas Jefferson) scored ten of his 11 points in the second half, while adding nine boards and three assists.

Moreton scored 19 second half points for the Skyhawks as they pulled away for the win. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Stonehill rallied from a seven point deficit midway through the first half to take a three-point lead (38-35) into halftime after a Chose three-pointer at the horn. Sophomore Brandon Twitty (Randolph, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) answered back-to-back SNHU three-pointers with a pair of his own to spark the Skyhawks, before senior Ryan Roach (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Cardinal Spellman) buried a three to pull the hosts within a point (23-22) with 9:55 remaining in the half.

Lee gave Stonehill a lead (26-25) with a layup seven minutes before the break and then the lead went back and forth until SNHU reclaimed a four point cushion (33-29) after a layup from junior Charlie Russo (Syracuse, New York/Christian Brothers Academy) with three minutes remaining to cap a string of six-straight Penmen points. Stonehill outscored SNHU 9-2 over the remainder of the half to reclaim the lead as Chose buried two threes and Largey finished off a three-point play.

A pair of three-point plays from Walters pulled SNHU even (41-41) for the fifth time in the game two minutes into the second half. Moreton answered with a three-point play of his own and then Largey gave Stonehill a five point edge (46-41) four minutes in. Chose traded three-pointers with the Penmen to stretch the lead out to six on two occasions and then Moreton added a layup to do so for a third time before adding a three-pointer for a nine-point gap (57-48) with 12:11 remaining.

Chose extended Stonehill's lead to ten (60-50) 30-seconds later and the teams traded baskets until a 6-1 spurt gave the Skyhawks a game-high 14-point lead (75-61) after a Largey layup with four minutes to play that proved to seal the victory. SNHU crept back within nine (79-70) after a Walters three with 1:49 on the clock and then had possession to pull closer, but was unable as Largey closed out the scoring with a pair of free-throws in the final minute.

Stonehill (13-9, 9-7 NE10) hits the road for a pair next week, starting Tuesday night at Saint Michael's College at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Wednesday, February 14, to host Merrimack College at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Stonehill home games can be purchased online in advance at stonehillskyhawks.com. Southern New Hampshire (12-10, 8-8 NE10) hosts Bentley University on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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