Moreton led the Skyhawks with 17 points tonight. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Salter's 18 points leads balanced Yellow Jackets effort

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 9, 2019) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 7 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, saw its six game winning streak come to an end with a 75-57 setback at American International College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Henry Butova Gymnasium tonight.

Freshman Isaiah Salter led four American International players in double figures with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 4-for-12 from three-point distance, to go with five rebounds and four assists. Junior Logan Santiago scored all 12 of his points in the first half, connecting on 4-of-5 three-pointers, with three rebounds, while senior Andrew Anderson added 11 points and seven boards off the bench. Junior Zekiah Owens rounded out the Yellow Jackets double figure scorers with ten points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Junior Will Moreton led Stonehill with 17 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Senior Joel Berroa was the only other Skyhawk in double figures, posting his second career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, draining 3-of-6 three-pointers, and dishing out three assists. Senior Michael Boen added eight points and two assists, while sophomore Owen Chose chipped in seven points, three assists and three steals.

American International never trailed, scoring seven straight points to open a ten point lead (17-7) after a Salter layup 6:18 into the game. Stonehill came out of a time out and got back to back three-pointers from Chose and Berroa to close back within four (17-13) a minute later, but Owens scored a layup and Salter buried a three to push the lead back to nine (22-13) with 11:17 remaining in the opening half.

Berroa posted his second career double-double tonight, both of which have come during his senior year. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

That kicked off what would become a 14-4 AIC run that opened a 14-point margin (31-17) after a Santiago triple with nine minutes remaining capped a run of three-straight Yellow Jacket three-pointers. Moreton canned two free throws, but Santiago followed with another three-ball to push the Yellow Jackets advantage to 15 (34-19) with 7:37 remaining in the half. Stonehill pulled within nine (35-26) with a Chose three-pointer with five minutes left and was back within eight twice inside of three-minutes to play in the frame, before AIC took a ten point lead (40-30) into halftime.

AIC wouldn't let Stonehill within single-digits the rest of the way, extending its lead to 21 (61-40) after a Salter layup capped a run of nine-straight Yellow Jacket points with nine minutes to go. The Skyhawks were able to draw back within 14 (71-57) after a three-point play from Boen with 2:25 on the clock, but would get no closer, seeing their run of six-straight wins dating back to November halted.

Stonehill (10-5, 4-4 NE10) returns to action next Wednesday, January 16, when it hosts the College of Saint Rose for its Purple & White Game at Merkert Gym at 7:30 p.m. AIC (7-8, 3-4 NE10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.