Moreton posts fifth double-double of the season with career-best 35 points, becoming 40th 1,000-point scorer in program history
Moreton posted his fifth double-double of the year, scoring a career-high 35 points, including the 1,000th of his career. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
EASTON, Mass. (December 16, 2018) – Stonehill College, ranked tenth in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, buried 16 three-pointers and led by as much as 32-points midway through the second half on its way to an 85-72 victory over Concordia (N.Y.) College in non-conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium today.
Junior swingman Will Moreton scored a career-high 35 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including 5-for-10 from three-point distance, while converting all six free-throws, including the 1,000th of his career with a baseline three-pointer with 5:29 to play. He also grabbed ten rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season (12th career), adding four assists and career-best four blocked shots. Moreton is the 40th student-athlete in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, finishing his 68th career game with 1,003 points.
Junior Brandon Twitty added 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting from three-point distance, with four rebounds, while senior Michael Boen recorded his second double-double of the season and his career with 11 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Stonehill connected on 16-of-37 (43.2-percent) three-pointers for the afternoon, including 8-for-17 (47.1%) in the first half to build a 15-point (42-27) halftime lead.
Freshman Devon Sims led three Concordia players in double-figures with 18 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting, draining both three-point attempts, to go with a pair of rebounds. Junior Jesse Breeding added 13 more points off the bench on 4-of-8 shooting, converting 5-of-5 free-throws, while sophomore Baron Goodridge rounded out the Clippers in double-figures with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Twitty drained 7-of-13 three-pointers on his way to 23 points this afternoon. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
Stonehill scored 15-straight points to open up a 15-point lead (19-4) after a Twitty jumper with 11:44 to play in the first half. Twitty and sophomore Owen Chose both connected on three-pointers to spark the run. The Skyhawks extended their lead to 16 (26-10) after two free-throws from Moreton with 8:30 to play in the half, but Concordia closed the gap to eight (28-20) after a layup from senior Michael Demello less than three-minutes later, capping a 10-2 spurt.
Stonehill held and Moreton capped the first half with back-to-back three-pointers to send the Skyhawks into halftime with a 15-point (42-27) cushion. Stonehill outscored Concordia 25-8 over the first eight minutes of the second half to extend its lead to a game-high 32 (67-35) after a Twitty three-pointer. He also sparked a 9-1 run with a three-pointer that turned a 16 point lead 2:19 into the half into a 24-point margin (54-30) after a Moreton basket after four minutes. Twitty canned another triple and then Moreton scored consecutive baskets to stretch the Skyhawks lead to 31 (64-33) with 13-minutes to play.
Concordia would not go down quietly, ripping off a 17-2 run to pull within 17 (69-52) after a layup from Sims with 6:28 to play. Moreton buried consecutive triples to restore a 23-point lead (75-52) a minute later, but the Clippers reeled off 15-straight points to close the gap to eight (75-67) following a three-pointer from Goodridge with 2:09 to go. The Skyhawks held from there, converting 6-of-7 free-throws down the stretch, to go with a Boen three-pointer that pushed the lead to 11 (80-69) with 1:14 remaining and seal their fourth-straight win and sixth over the last seven leading into the holiday break.
Stonehill (8-4, 4-3 NE10) has two weeks off before continuing its five game home stand on Saturday, December 29, when it hosts the University of Bridgeport, ranked eighth in the region, at Merkert Gym at noon. Concordia (4-6, 1-1 CACC) visits Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
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