Moreton posted his NE10-leading tenth double-double of the season (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Richmond fires Falcons to win with game-high 35 points

WALTHAM, Mass. (February 6, 2019) – Bentley University, ranked No. 10 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, used a big first half run to erase an early deficit on its way to an 84-65 triumph over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action featured as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase at the Dana Athletic Center tonight.

Senior Ryan Richmond erupted for 25 of his game-high 35 points in the second half, finishing 12-for-24 from the field, including 9-for-12 in the second half, draining 4-of-7 three-pointers and all seven free-throws, while adding nine rebounds, two assists (no turnovers), two steals and a blocked shot. Sophomore Colton Lawrence scored 14 of her 18 points in the first half, with seven rebounds, while junior Chris Hudson totaled 15 points, five boards, four assists and blocked shots. Senior Zach Gilpin chipped in eight points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Sophomore Owen Chose paced Stonehill with a career-high 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including 5-for-12 from three-point distance, netting 19 points in the first half alone when just one other teammate had more than one basket in the opening 20 minutes. Junior Will Moreton was the only other Skyhawk in double figures, finishing with 18 points, including 13 in the second half, and 11 rebounds for his NE10-leading tenth double-double of the year to go with three assists. Senior Michael Boen pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and added six points and three assists.

Stonehill reeled off 11-straight points to grab an early seven-point lead (20-13) after a three-pointer from freshman Adam Freese nine minutes into the opening half. Chose scored four points during the run, while freshman Josh Mack added a triple.

Chose netted 19 of his career-high 27 points in the first half tonight (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Bentley emerged from a timeout with seven-straight points, including four from Hudson, to pull even (20-20) after a three-point play by Lawrence with eight minutes left in the half. Chose answered with a three to push Stonehill back in front, but  the Falcons followed with a 16-3 run, in which they scored eight points from the free-throw line in support of a Gilpin three-pointer, to grab a ten point lead (36-26) after two free-throws by sophomore Jordan Mello-Klein with 3:55 to go in the half.

Bentley stretched its lead to 15 (48-33) at the intermission by closing out the half with a 12-5 run, sparked by three-pointers from Gilpin and Lawrence before Richmond scored the Falcons last four points of the frame. The Falcons came out of the break and quickly pushed their lead to 20 points (53-33) after five-straight points from Richmond, running his streak of Bentley points to nine going back to the end of the first half.

Stonehill trimmed its deficit to 14 (54-40) with a Boen layup with 15:45 still to play, but Bentley would prove to keep the Skyhawks at arm's length the remainder of the game. The Falcons grabbed a game-high 22-point lead (65-43) on a Hudson layup with 12 minutes to play. Stonehill closed the gap again, pulling within 13 (65-52) after a Mack triple just past the midway point of the half, and then 12 (73-61) with 3:37 remaining following five-straight points from Moreton. However, the Skyhawks would get no closer with time running out.

Stonehill (11-11, 5-10 NE10) returns to action on Saturday, when it visits Southern New Hampshire University for an NE10 matchup at 3:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Tuesday to host Saint Michael's College at 7:30 p.m. Bentley (16-6, 9-6 NE10) visits Assumption College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

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