Sims and Chose combine for 48 points to lead Skyhawks to tenth win 

Sims posted his third straight 20-point game, finishing with a game-high 26 this afternoon (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

EASTON, Mass. (January 22, 2022) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 7 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, rode two 20-point scorers and 51-percent shooting to notch its tenth win of the season with an 80-65 decision over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon. 

Leaders

Stonehill
Andrew Sims Senior, Forward: Game-high 26 points (9-for-15 FGs, 8-for-10 FTs), 8 rebounds, 3 assists.
Owen Chose 5^th-year, Guard: 22 points (6-for-12 threes), including 15 second half, 2 rebounds.
Josh Mack Senior, Guard: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.
Isaiah Burnett  Senior, Guard: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocked shots, steal. 

Southern Connecticut State
Lyron Bennett  Sophomore, Guard: 23 points (9-for-16), 3 rebounds, 3 assists.
Jamaal Waters Freshman, Forward: 10 points (4-for-7), 8 rebounds (7 offensive).
Sean James Freshman, Guard: 8 points (2-for-4 threes), 2 rebounds, assist.

How it Happened

• Chose moved into a tie for 27th on the program's all-time scoring list, netting 15 of his 22 points in the second half (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

  Stonehill grabbed the lead (18-17) after Mack capped a nine-point run with a layup that erased a slow start and saw Southern grab a pair of early eight-point cushions in the opening six minutes.
• James scored a layup to push Southern back in front (19-18) with 10:26 left in the first half, but Burnett put the Skyhawks in front for what would prove to be for good with a layup at the other end.
• Chose followed a Sims basket with a three-pointer to stretch the Stonehill lead to six (34-28) with 3:33 left in the half, a margin the Skyhawks would carry into the intermission.
• Bennett scored the opening basket of the second half to pull Southern within four (38-24), but Stonehill reeled off a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to extend its lead to 14 (50-36) after back-to-back three-pointers from Chose and sophomore Emmanuel Bonsu.
• Southern worked the lead down to eight (51-43) after a three-pointer by senior CJ Seaforth with 13:27 left.
• Stonehill led by 11 (58-47) midway through the half, but sealed the win with a 17-6 run over the next five minutes to extend its lead to a game-high 22 (75-53) after a Chose triple with 5:40 on the clock. He had a pair of threes during the run, while Mack struck from deep as well and Sims converted a conventional three-point play.

Noteworthy

• Sims posted his third-straight 20-point outing (seventh career) and fourth this season overall, with his 11^th double-figure scoring game of the season (23 career).
• Chose scored his fourth 20-point game of the season (15^th career), all coming within the last six games, with his tenth double-figure scoring game of the year (57^th career).
• Chose moved into a tie for 27^th place on Stonehill's career scoring list with his 1,180 career points matching the total of Randall Stallworth, '10. Chose also moved into fifth on the program's career three-point field goal list with his six threes today giving him 222 in 95 career games played.
• Mack reached double-figures in scoring for the fifth time this season (nine career).
• Stonehill finished shooting 50.9-percent from the field, including 53.1% (17-for-32) in the first half, connecting on 10-of-21 (47.6%) three-pointers on the night, including 7-for-13 (53.8%) in the second half to put the game away.
• Stonehill turned the ball over just five times on the day, dishing out 14 assists, compared to ten Southern turnovers that resulted in an 18-8 scoring advantage for the Skyhawks in points off.

Up Next

Stonehill (10-7, 6-5 NE10) returns to action on Tuesday, when it visits American International College for an NE10 clash in Springfield, Massachusetts, at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks are back here at Merkert Gym next Saturday, January 29, to host The College of Saint Rose at 3:30 p.m. Southern Conn. State (4-8, 2-5 NE10) visits Assumption University on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

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