Skyhawks head to Thursday's regular season finale vs. LIU at Merkert able to earn No. 6, 7 or 8 seeds

Thornton scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Skyhawks on Senior Day (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

EASTON, Mass. (March 2, 2024) – Central Connecticut State University held Stonehill College in check at the defensive end and secured a 64-45 victory in Northeast Conference women's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Despite the setback, Stonehill (4-11 NEC) clinched a spot in the upcoming NEC Tournament with one game remaining after Saint Francis University (4-11) and Wagner College (3-12) both lost today with LIU (4-11), who the Skyhawk play Thursday (6 p.m.), idle. The clinching result for Stonehill was not even among those programs, but it was Merrimack College's loss to NEC regular season champions Sacred Heart University that clinched as the Warriors cannot finish above FDU, clinching a higher ranked NEC win (FDU) for the Skyhawks should they finished tied with Wagner (at Merrimack) following Thursday's final NEC regular season date. Stonehill can finish as either the No. 6, 7 or 8 seed for its NEC Tournament debut that gets underway with quarterfinal round action on Monday, March 11.

Prior to today's game, Stonehill took a moment to honor its three seniors and postgrads in a Senior Day celebration. Postgraduate transfer Anna Boruta made her tenth start for Stonehill today in 18 games played since transferring from Northeastern University, where she played 41 games over three years. Seniors Jada Thornton and Cameron Ward have played 80 and 33 career games, respectively, over the last four years. The duo endured a delay to their collegiate careers due to a pandemic, helped the Skyhawks reach the 2022 Northeast-10 Conference Championship game and then have been a part of the program's transition to the NCAA Division I level over the last two years. The group has led Stonehill to a spot in the NEC Tournament in its first year of eligibility as well.

Sophomores Samora Watson and Alonna Sellers both scored a team-high 16 points to lead four double-figure scorers for Central Connecticut State on a combined 14-for-30 (46.7-percent) shooting. Watson also contributed six rebounds and five steals, while Sellers added five boards and was 7-of-11 shooting herself. Senior Meghan Kenefick totaled 13 points, a team-high seven rebounds and three assists, while junior Amaya Williams rounded out the Blue Devils in double-figures with ten points, four rebounds and two steals.

Thornton and Ward combined for 27 of Stonehill's 45 points, shooting a combined 10-for-25 (40%) from the floor and 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. Thornton scored a game-high 17 points, with five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot for the Skyhawks, while Ward finished with ten points and eight boards. Postgrad Lauren Sampson contributed eight points and three rebounds off the bench for Stonehill, while junior Maureen Stapleton grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

Ward added ten points and eight rebounds for the Skyhawks today (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Central Connecticut State grabbed an early seven-point lead (9-2) behind five different scorers after a layup by senior Belle Lanpher halfway through the first quarter. Thornton followed with her first basket of the game for Stonehill, but the Blue Devils would hold the Skyhawks to 1-for-12 shooting over the first ten minutes to stake out an 11-point lead (15-4) after a quarter of play, led by six points from Watson who capped the first quarter scoring with a pull-up jumper with 28-seconds to play.

Junior Sharn Hayward opened the second quarter scoring with a three-pointer before Ward added a layup that pulled Stonehill back within six (15-9) 1:18 in. The Skyhawks drew within five (18-13) after a turnaround jumper from Sampson just past the halfway mark of the second quarter, but Central used a 9-2 spurt to grab a 12-point cushion (27-15) with 2:49 left in the half after four-straight points from Sellers. Stonehill made another charge, scoring the last seven points of the half, sparked by a three-point play from Thornton, to close within five again (27-22) at the intermission.

Central Connecticut would pull away in the second half, opening the third quarter with a 13-3 run, led by six points by Watson, to grab a 15-point lead (40-25) after a Watson jumper with under four minutes to play in the third. The Blue Devils stretched the lead to 17 (44-27) after a Sellers layup with two minutes remaining in the quarter before carrying a 15-point lead (46-31) into the fourth and Stonehill would not get any closer than 11 (54-43) the rest of the way.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill has qualified for its conference tournament every year it has been eligible to do so, earning its first NEC Tournament appearance after being the lone program to qualify for the first 39 Northeast-10 Conference Tournaments prior to making the transition to the Division I level.
• Thornton scored in double-figures for the third-straight game and seventh time over the last eight games, giving her a team-high 17 double-figure games this season overall (20 career).
• Thornton has led Stonehill in scoring a team-leading 13 games this season (16 career).
• Thornton and Ward have combined to record 53.9-percent of Stonehill's scoring over the last eight games.
• Stapleton has led Stonehill rebounders 19 games this season (22 career).
• Stonehill finished shooting 28.8-percent (15-for-52) from the floor, including 1-for-12 from three-point distance.
• CCSU enjoyed an 18-6 scoring margin in points off turnovers, shooting 38.8-percent (26-67) overall.

Up Next
Stonehill (4-24, 4-11 NEC) hosts LIU on the final day of the regular season in the NEC on Thursday at 6 p.m. The winner will earn the No. 6 seed for the upcoming NEC Tournament, while the Skyhawks could finish seventh or eighth depending on Saint Francis' result at Sacred Heart on a Sharks win. Central Connecticut State (9-19, 7-8 NEC) hosts FDU for its regular season finale on Thursday at 7 p.m., with a chance to move up to a No. 4 seed and hosting rights for an NEC quarterfinal.

Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.

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