Wednesday night's NE10 doubleheader featured through NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase
EASTON, Mass. (February 5, 2019) – One of the best small college rivalries in the country between two NCAA Division II institutions competing in the Northeast-10 Conference separated by just 35-miles will take center stage on Wednesday, when the Stonehill College men's and women's basketball teams battle Bentley University for a doubleheader at the Charles A. Dana Physical Education Center.
The games have been selected as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase package intended to promote the division on several platforms throughout the academic year. The doubleheader will be broadcast as part of the NCAA hybrid model, distributed online through NCAA social media accounts — specifically, Division II Facebook (facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) — as well as each athletic departments' Facebook (facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks) pages. The games will be streamed through NE10 NOW, the NE10's online streaming platform, powered by Stretch Internet, available online as well as through or through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku apps.
The women's game will also be broadcast on a tape delay basis on NBC Sports Boston, the broadcast home of the Boston Celtics, on Wednesday at 8 p.m., as well as Cox Sports TV on Saturday, February 9, at 11 p.m., ET. The men's game will be broadcast by Cox Sports TV on Thursday, February 7, at 1 p.m.
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Carter and the Skyhawks look to keep their momentum going at nationally-ranked Bentley tomorrow night (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
Stonehill and Bentley men's and women's basketball programs have long been the benchmark for success in the Northeast-10 and East Region. These four programs have combined to earn 90 NCAA Tournament bids, with 23 Division II Elite Eight trips, one national championship, and 49 NE10 regular season and 31 NE10 tournament championships. It marks the the second time the Stonehill/Bentley men's rivalry has been featured by the Division II Showcase, with the 2007 meeting at the Dana Center being highlighted, while it marks the first time this historic women's matchup has been featured.
Tomorrow night marks the 110th meeting all-time between the two women's programs which have combined for 58 NCAA Tournament appearance, with Bentley earning a Division II record 34 bids and Stonehill ranking fourth in Division II history with 24. In 27 all-time postseason encounters, 15 have been in the NE10 Tournament, including seven NE10 Championship battles, and 12 in the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons hold a 71-38 advantage in the all-time series after posting a 70-54 victory in Easton on November 14, in the NE10 opener for both. Senior Victoria Lux led three Bentley players in double-figures with 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting, converting 5-of-6 free throws, to go with nine rebounds. Freshman Kayla Raymond led three Stonehill players in double figures with 12 points, while adding two rebounds and two assists in the first matchup.
Stonehill, ranked No. 6 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, is led by Raymond, named the NE10 Rookie of the Week for the seventh time this season on Monday. She leads the Skyhawks with 15.5 points per game, shooting 50.5-percent from the field, including 40.8% (20-for-49) from three-point range, while converting 81.5% (22-27) of her free-throws. She also contributes 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 blocked shots in 23.1 minutes per game.
Junior Grace Carter contributes 10.7 points, connecting on 37.6% (53-for-141) of her three-pointers, with 2.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a steal per game, while leading the NE10 in assist/turnover ratio (2.3). Classmate Gabrielle Reuter adds 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting a team-best 55.2-percent from the floor. Sophomore Jennifer Worden chips in 8.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals per contest, while senior Maty Diabate pulls downs a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game, including 2.5 per game on the offensive glass.
Sophomore Kate Meriggioli is leading a balanced Bentley offensive output that features five in double-figures with 12.2 points per game, connecting on 41.2-percent (35-for-85) of her three-pointers and 79.7% (47-59) of her free-throws, with 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Lux is contributing 11 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while junior Monica Viapiano adds 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. The Falcons are ranked No. 3 in this week's D2SIDA East Regional rankings and 15th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll.
Moreton and the men's basketball team look to get back on track heading into the stretch run (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
Tomorrow night marks the 89th meeting all-time between the Stonehill and Bentley men's programs, who have combined for 32 NCAA bids, with three Elite Eight trips apiece and each advancing to the national semifinals twice. The Skyhawks and Falcons have combined for 24 combined NE10 regular season and tournament championships in their programs history. Bentley holds a 49-39 edge in the all-time series after posting an 84-71 win over Stonehill in the NE10 opener for both in Easton on November 14. Senior Ryan Richmond led a Bentley team that shot 55.6-percent from the floor, including 57.1% in the second half, and buried 10-of-20 three-pointers, with a game-high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three, with four rebounds and five assists. Junior Will Moreton posted 14 points, four rebounds and two assists for Stonehill, while classmate Brandon Twitty totaled 13 points and four assists.
Moreton, a second team All-NE10 selection as a sophomore, leads four Stonehill players in double-figures with 19.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. He leads the NE10 and ranks 18th nationally in Division II with his nine double-doubles (16 career), pulling down a Conference-best 7.6 defensive rebounds per game, which ranks eighth nationally. Moreton shoots 45.7% from the floor and 77.2% (71-92) from the free-throw line.
Stonehill hopes to have Twitty, who has been hampered by a mid-season injury, back in the lineup, adding 15.5 points on an NE10-best 54.9% shooting from the field, including 48.9% (45-92) from three-point range. Senior Joel Berroa has been hot of late for the Skyhawks and adds 10.4 points per game on an NE10-best 50% (29-58) shooting from beyond the arc, converting 87.5% (28-32) of his free-throws, with 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Sophomore Owen Chose chips in 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.3 minutes per game.
Richmond is the top scorer in the NE10 with 22.9 points per game on 49.7% shooting, including 41.8% (41-98) from three, converting 87.9% (124-141) of his free-throws, with 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a steal in 37.2 minutes per game. Junior Chris Hudson adds 15 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals, while sophomore Colton Lawrence contributes 14.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Stonehill will remain on the road on Saturday, when the teams complete a stretch of five of six games on the road at Southern New Hampshire University. The women tip off at 1:30 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 3:30 p.m. Both Skyhawk teams host Saint Michael's College next Tuesday, February 12, at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
