Mack's gamewinning layup and Burnett's career-high 30 lead Skyhawks in intrastate matchup

Burnett made 15-of-17 free-throws on his way to a career-high 30 points (PHOTO BY Brian Foley)

BRONX, N.Y. (November 19, 2022) – Fifth-year guard Josh Mack drove the length of the court and scored a layup with two-seconds to play to lift Stonehill College to an 81-79 triumph over College of the Holy Cross in a non-conference men's basketball matchup on day one of the 2022 Tom Konchalski Classic, hosted by Fordham University, at Rose Hill Gymnasium tonight.

Mack's winning basket capped a season-high ten-point night and closed out a Stonehill rally from an 11-point deficit early in the second half. Fifth-year Isaiah Burnett led the Skyhawks with a career-high 30 points, including 20 after halftime, on 7-of-9 shooting, converting 15-of-17 free-throws, to go with three rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot.

Senior Gerrale Gates, who converted a three-point play with ten seconds left that knotted the score, and freshman Will Batchelder combined for 43 points for Holy Cross.

Leaders

Stonehill

Burnett: Career-high 30 points (7-for-9, 15-for-17 FTs), three rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot.

Mack: Season-high 10 points (4-for-7), four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.

Andrew Sims 14 points, five rebounds, steal.

Holy Cross

Gates: 22 points (8-for-16, 6-for-7 FTs), 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots, steal.

Batchelder: 21 points (7-for-15 threes), five assists, four steals.

Bo Montgomery Junior, Guard: 16 points (6-for-11), five assists, three rebounds.

Mack finished with a season-high ten points after his gamewinning basket with two seconds to play (PHOTO BY Brian Foley)

How it Happened

• Mack's game-winning basket capped a Stonehill comeback from a pair of double-figure deficits in the contest, including 11 points (50-39) after a Nolan Dorsey three-pointer three minutes into the second half.
• Mack's layup answered a three-point play from Gates after Stonehill had taken the lead with a Sims layup and two Burnett free-throws over the last two minutes.
• Holy Cross started the game by scoring 13 of the first 14 points, led by five points from Montgomery and three-pointers by Batchelder and Dorsey for a 12-point lead (13-1) less than three minutes in.
• Stonehill battled back and used a 12-2 run, sparked by five points from junior Thatcher Stone, to close within two (26-22) with 7:50 to play in the first half.
• Stonehill took its first lead (31-30) with two free-throws by Burnett with 3:21 left in the frame, but the Crusaders reclaimed the lead (34-33) at the half.
• Burnett pushed Stonehill back in the lead (35-34) on the opening possession of the second half, but Holy Cross reeled off a 16-4 run over the next three minutes to grab an 11-point advantage (50-39) keyed by three-straight triples by Batchelder.
• Stonehill bounced back with a 14-3 run, sparked by four points from Mack to pull even (53-53) after a Burnett steal and basket with 13:21 remaining.
• Batchelder gave Holy Cross a four-point edge (59-55) with 11:19 remaining, and then added another triple with 8:14 on the clock for another four-point margin (65-61) with eight minutes to play.
• Holy Cross took another four-point lead (72-68) when Montgomery completed a three-point play around the final media timeout of the half, but Stonehill responded with a three-pointer by fifth-year Shamir Johnson and then two Burnett free-throws to take the lead (74-73) with 2:49 remaining.
• Junior Joe Octave drained a three to push the Crusaders back in front (76-74), but Sims scored inside and then Burnett made three of four free-throws to give the Skyhawks a three-point lead (79-76) with 19-seconds to play to set up the dramatic conclusion.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill earns its first win in five all-time meetings with Holy Cross, with tonight marking the first encounter since December, 1973.
• Burnett's 30-point game is his seventh-straight double-figure scoring performance dating back to last season and 20^th of his career as he reached 20-plus points for the fourth time.
• Sims has now scored in double-figures 11-straight games dating back to last season and 34 times in his career overall.
• Mack's ten points are the tenth double-figure scoring performance of his career.
• Johnson finished with nine points (3-for-4 threes) and a career-best seven rebounds.
• Both of Stonehill's wins in its inaugural Division I season have come against Patriot League members, with the Skyhawks winning at Army West Point last Saturday, 82-77.
• Tonight marked the 1,900^th game in Stonehill men's basketball history.

Up Next

Stonehill (2-3, 0-0 NEC) returns to action on Monday, when the Tom Konchalski Classic returns after a day off, to face the University of Illinois-Chicago at Rose Hill Gym at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks next home game is Wednesday, November 30, when they host Eastern Nazarene College at Merkert Gymnasium at 7 p.m. Holy Cross (1-3, 0-0 Patriot) faces host Fordham on Monday at 7 p.m.

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