Marshall Buzzer Beater Lifts Women's Basketball Over Saint Anselm, 71-70


Senior Paige Marshall scored all 17 of her points in the second half, including the gamewinning three-pointer at the horn, to lift the Skyhawks past Saint Anselm. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Marshall nets 17 second half points, including game winning three

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 17, 2016) – Senior guard Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) banked in a long-range three-pointer as time expired to lift Stonehill College to a crucial 71-70 triumph over Saint Anselm College, ranked fourth in the inaugural NCAA Division II East Regional rankings released this afternoon, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium tonight.

Marshall scored all 17 of her team-leading points in the second half, capped by the buzzer-beating three-pointer that kept Stonehill in a three way tie for the fifth and final spot in the Northeast Division for the upcoming NE-10 Tournament with two games to play. Marshall made 7-of-19 shots from the field, including 7-for-14 in the second half, connecting on 1-of-3 three-pointers and both free-throw tries to go with three assists. Her 17 points pulls Marshall within 13 points of becoming the 29th 1,000-point scorer in program history.

Stonehill improves to 9-4 away from home with its win tonight and remains in a three way tie for fifth place in the Northeast Division with Southern New Hampshire University, Saturday's opponent, and Merrimack College with two games to play. The group also sits two games behind Assumption College and Franklin Pierce University for third place. The Skyhawks hold the head to head tiebreaker with Franklin Pierce, as well as the tiebreaker with Merrimack by way of tonight's win over Saint Anselm, but not Assumption. Stonehill also defeated SNHU in its first matchup of the season.

Senior Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nevada/Centennial) added 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, converting both free-throws, to go with nine rebounds, an assist and steal. Sophomore Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) notched her second double-double of the season (third career) with 12 points and a game-high ten rebounds, making 6-of-9 shots from the floor, while junior Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) chipped in 12 points, aided by an 8-for-8 effort at the free-throw line, with eight rebounds and four assists.

Senior Racquel Johnson (Inglewood, California/St. Anthony's) led Saint Anselm with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, while converting 5-of-6 free-throws, with six rebounds, three steals and two assists. Freshman Samnell Vonleh (Swampscott, Massachusetts/Whittier Tech) added 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting, with nine rebounds and four blocked shots, while junior Candace Andrews (Boston, Massachusetts/Worcester Academy) totaled 12 points, nine assists and three steals. Sophomore Clairee Putnam (Windham, New Hampshire/Windham) rounded out the Hawks double-figure scorers with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range off the bench, converting both free-throws.


Senior Shannon Brown contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Stonehill finished shooting 41.9-percent from the field (26-for-62), including 44.1% (15-34) in the second half, converting 18-of-20 (90%) free-throws. The Skyhawks posted a 41-31 rebounding advantage, aiding in an 18-11 edge in second chance points. Saint Anselm shot 44.6-percent from the floor (25-for-56), including 6-for-10 (60%) from three-point range, but shot just 32.1% (9-28) in the second half after connecting at 57.1% (16-28) in the first half to build a nine point (38-29) halftime lead. The Hawks also held a 15-8 edge in points off turnovers despite giveaways finishing at 13 apiece.

Stonehill rallied from a pair of 11 point deficits, the latter of which (40-29) came a minute into the third quarter after a Johnson layup. The Skyhawks battled back to take the lead (45-44) into the fourth quarter after a Marshall basket with a minute remaining in the third. Stonehill answered the Johnson basket to open the third with a 12-2 run to close within a point (42-41) after a Marshall layup with 4:38 remaining in the quarter. Marshall had six points and Hyslip four for the Skyhawks during that stretch.

Stonehill limited Saint Anselm to just six points in the third, with Brown and Marshall following a Johnson basket with 4:10 left in the third with the final points of the frame. The Skyhawks stretched their lead to four (50-46) with a three point play by Martin 1:38 into the fourth quarter, but Saint Anselm scored eight of the next ten points to regain the lead (54-52) after two free-throws by sophomore Ali Glennon (Bedford, New Hampshire/Bedford) with 6:18 to play.

Marshall's Gamewinning Basket

The two sides traded baskets before Stonehill restored its four point lead (62-58) after two Martin free-throws with 1:37 remaining. Saint Anselm rallied with nine straight points over the next minute to reverse the lead for a five point cushion (67-62) after two free-throws by Putnam with 29-seconds left. A Hyslip jumper and two Brown free-throws pulled the Skyhawks back within a point (67-66) with 15-seconds to go around a Hawks turnover.

Junior Aliyah Smith (Medford, New York/Saint John the Baptist Diocesan) was fouled and made both free-throws to put Saint Anselm back up three with 13-seconds on the clock. The Hawks chose to put Stonehill on the line instead of yielding a tying three, and freshman Nicole Rojas (Cromwell, Connecticut/Cromwell) calmly sank both free-throws to pull the Skyhawks back within a point with ten seconds left.

Stonehill fouled Smith, who missed both of her free-throws, but Johnson grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled before splitting her attempts to give Stonehill one more chance. Brown pulled down Johnson's miss with four seconds to play and fed Marshall, who dribbled down the left side to within four feet of the three-point arc in front of the Skyhawks bench for the buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Stonehill (13-12, 8-11 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Southern New Hampshire University for a huge NE-10 battle on Senior Day at Merkert Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Saint Anselm (16-8, 12-7 NE-10) hosts Bentley University, ranked first in the region, on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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