Nelson Nets 13 Points And Grabs Five Rebounds As 24th-Ranked Men's Basketball Collects Eighth Straight Victory With 68-52 Northeast-10 Triumph Over American International

January 5, 2006

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Thursday, January 5, 2006

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL:STONEHILL 68, AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 52

EASTON, Mass.-- Senior Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass.) scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds as 24th-ranked Stonehill posted its eighth straight triumph with a 68-52 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over American International Thursday evening at Merkert Gymnasium.

The host Skyhawks (10-1, 6-1 Northeast-10), who have matched their longest win streak in nearly a year, overcame a 36 percent shooting effort in the opening 20 minutes of action to take a 42-23 advantage at the break, and after the visiting Yellow Jackets (7-5, 3-4 Northeast-10) closed that gap to 12 points (44-32) early in the second half, Stonehill used a quick 15-2 spurt over a five-plus minute stretch to take a 25-point edge at 59-34 with 9:46 remaining on a three-pointer by freshman Colin Scanlon (Centreville, Va.), and the hosts maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest.

Senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont.) added 10 points, five steals and three assists on the night for Stonehill, which last won eight straight in mid-January of last season. Seniors Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J.), along with junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass.) and freshman Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass.), each added eight points in the triumph for the Skyhawks, who received eight rebounds from Taylor, six rebounds from Clarke and six assists from Lauricella. Junior Soap Toun (Cranston, R.I.) contributed six points for the hosts, who canned 11 three-pointers on the night and forced 19 American International turnovers to post the triumph.

Senior Dexter Gregory (Paterson, N.J.) recorded a double-double effort of 14 points and 12 rebounds in the setback for American International, who also received 12 points and six rebounds from freshman Lucius Millinder (Belleville, N.J.) and 10 points from junior Jenar Harrison (Queens, N.Y.). The Yellow Jackets shot 35 percent from the field and connected on just 4-of-18 attempts from three-point range on the night, as Stonehill scored 16 points off of the 17 American International turnovers.

Stonehill travels to Smithfield, R.I. on Saturday afternoon to take on 2005 NCAA national runner-up Bryant in a Northeast-10 outing at the Chace Athletic Center that tips-off at 3:30 p.m., while American International hosts Merrimack in a Northeast-10 match-up on Saturday afternoon at Butova Gymnasium in Springfield, Mass. that also begins at 3:30.