Men's Basketball Looks To Claim Share Of Northeast-10 Title Tuesday Evening As 25th-Ranked Skyhawks Travel To Assumption To Close Out Northeast-10 Play

February 20, 2006

2005-2006 Stonehill College Men's Basketball

7:30 p.m. EST

THE GAME: Stonehill looks to grab at least a share of its first league regular season title in eight years this evening as the 25th-ranked Skyhawks seek their seventh win in the last eight outings by taking on the Assumption Greyhounds in a Northeast-10 Conference clash. Stonehill enters tonight's action after posting a 71-59 Northeast-10 triumph over American International last Saturday afternoon at Butova Gymnasium in Springfield, Mass., as senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) led a trio of Skyhawks in double figures with 24 points and seven rebounds in becoming the 18th player in school history to eclipse the 1,200 career point barrier. Senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont./Markham District) added 16 points, seven assists and four steals in the win for Stonehill, which also received 16 points from freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) as well as six points and three caroms from freshman Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) in his homecoming. The Skyhawks shot 53 percent from the field for the day in reaching the 20-win plateau for the second straight seasons, accomplishing back-to-back 20-victory campaigns for the first time in 24 years. Stonehill enters tonight's action tied for first place in the Northeast-10 standings with 20th-ranked Bentley, as the Falcons dropped a double-overtime decision at Bryant last Saturday to fall into the first place tie. Assumption enters tonight's action after dropping a 72-51 Northeast-10 decision to Merrimack last Saturday afternoon here at Laska Gymnasium.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Stonehill can finish no lower than second in the final Northeast-10 regular season standings. If Stonehill defeats Assumption and Bentley wins its contest at American International, the two teams share the league regular season crown, but the Falcons earn the top seed in the conference tournament based upon a two-game sweep of the Skyhawks during the year. The same applies if both Stonehill and Bentley lose their respective contests, as the two schools share the title but the Falcons again emerge as the #1 seed. If one team wins and the either loses, then the winner claims the outright conference title and the top seed in the league playoffs.

HONOR ROLL HONOREES: Seniors Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) and Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont./Markham District) each earned spots on the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll on Monday for their efforts in a pair of Stonehill victories last week. Taylor averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and one steal on the week, including 24 points and seven boards in a 71-59 victory at American International to go with 13 points and a pair of blocks in a 68-58 triumph over Southern New Hampshire. Taylor shot 59 percent (13-22) from the field and 77 percent (10-13) from the foul line for the week. Kraus averaged 13 points, 7.5 assists, four rebounds and 3.5 steals on the week, including 16 points, seven assists and four steals in the win at American International to go with 10 points, eight assists, five boards and three steals in the triumph over Southern New Hampshire. Kraus shot 53 percent (9-17) from the field and 86 percent (6-7) from the foul line on the week for the Skyhawks.

LAST MEETING: Stonehill and Assumption last met on January 10th at Merkert Gymnasium, and the Skyhawks posted an 82-64 victory over the Greyhounds. Junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) tied his career high with 20 points, including five three-pointers, in the triumph for Stonehill, which also received 15 points from Marquis Taylor and a double-double effort of 11 points and 10 rebounds from senior co-captain Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford).

THE SERIES: Stonehill and Assumption are meeting for the 89th time this evening, and the Greyhounds hold a 51-37 edge over the Skyhawks in the all-time series between the two schools.

THE SKYHAWKS: Taylor leads Stonehill in scoring and rebounding at 16.3 ppg and 6.8 caroms per contest, while Nelson follows at 13.4 ppg and adds 5.7 rpg. Clarke is next at 11 ppg, while Kraus is also in double figures for the Skyhawks at 10.8 ppg while adding 5.8 assists per game.

THE GREYHOUNDS: Sophomore Corey Diethorn leads Assumption in both scoring and rebounding at 11 ppg and 5.9 caroms per contest, while senior Josh Melucci follows at 10.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Sophomore Leroy Byron is next at 10.5 ppg, while sophomore Greg Twomey chips in at 10.1 ppg for the Greyhounds to date.

HEAD COACH DAVID McLAUGHLIN: David McLaughlin is in his third season as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Stonehill College. A 1997 graduate of Colby, McLaughlin has guided the Skyhawks to a 45-25 (.643) mark during his tenure after previously serving as an assistant coach, and he has led Stonehill to back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time in 24 years. McLaughlin, who is assisted by Derik Malone (Babson '91), Josh Meyer (Wesleyan '00) and Mike Harding (Bowdoin '03), is 3-0 during his career against Assumption.

HEAD COACH SERGE DE BARI: Serge DeBari is in the first season of his second go-round as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Assumption College. A 1971 graduate of Assumption, DeBari previously guided his alma mater for four seasons from 1995-99, and his record in Worcester stands at 65-74 (.468) in those five years combined. In 20 collegiate seasons overall, including 15 years at Babson, DeBari has compiled a 289-225 (.562) mark, and he is assisted by Guillermo Sanchez and John Ginnity. DeBari is 5-5 during his career against Stonehill.

TWENTY-TWENTY VISION: Stonehill has posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time in 24 years, as the Skyhawks also won 20 contests last season under David McLaughlin's tutelage. Stonehill last posted back-to-back 20-win seasons during the 1980-81 and 1981-82 campaigns under the late Tom Folliard, as those squads posted identical 21-9 marks en route to claiming two straight Northeast-7 championships.

PRE-SEASON PROGNOSTICATION PREDICAMENT: For the second straight season, Stonehill has proven the pre-season Northeast-10 prognostications wrong, as the Skyhawks can finish no lower than second in the final league standings after being picked for eighth place in the pre-season coaches poll. Stonehill was picked 14th in the 2004-2005 pre-season poll and finished tied for third.

POLL POSITION: Stonehill is once again the only school to have both its men's and women's basketball squads ranked in their respective Division II national polls, as the Skyhawk men checked back into the NABC Top 25 at the number #25 position in last week's poll. The Stonehill women have been ranked as high as ninth this season, while the men's team has been rated as high as 10th.

THEY CALL IT THE STREAK: Stonehill's recent 12-game winning streak matched the longest such skein in school history, as the 1970-71 squad also posted 12 consecutive victories during that campaign. The Skyhawks have posted a 12-game win streak and an eight-game win skein under David McLaughlin's guidance in the last calendar year alone.

REGIONAL PROWESS: Stonehill is 6-3 against regionally-ranked teams this season, as the Skyhawks swept a pair of contests from Saint Anselm and Bryant while splitting two games with UMass Lowell and notching a single triumph over Saint Rose.

NATIONAL RANK AND FILE: Stonehill was ranked 25th in last week's National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II national poll released last Tuesday afternoon, as the Skyhawks returned to the top 25 after a three-week hiatus and have been ranked as high as 10th. Prior to December 20th, the last time Stonehill appeared in the NABC Top 25 came in March 1998 during the Skyhawks' NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" campaign. Here is the February 12th NABC Division II poll:

RankSchool (first place votes)RecordPointsPrevious Rank

1Fort Hays State, Kan. (8)22-12002

2Western Washington 19-21864

3Barton, N.C.20-11858

4Delta State, Miss.22-11679

5Saint Joseph's, Ind.22-216510

6Virginia Union18-31531

7Southwest Baptist, Mo.21-214411

8Seattle Pacific, Wash.19-31375

9Montevallo, Ala.21-31356

10tSouthern Ill. Edwardsville20-311818

10tSouthern Indiana23-31183

12Tarleton State, Texas20-411115

13Winona State, Minn.19-410813

14Grand Valley State, Mich.20-310516

15Findlay, Ohio21-3967

16Northern State, S.D.20-39512

17Minnesota State-Mankato19-55522

18Armstrong Atlantic State, Ga.18-541NR

19Alderson-Broaddus, W. Va.18-43817

20Bentley, Mass.18-636NR

21Shippenburg, Pa.19-435NR

22Truman State, Mo.19-53219

23Alabama-Huntsville19-53014

24Clayton State, Ga.19-42720

25Stonehill, Mass.18-522NR

Others Receiving Votes: Grand Canyon 16, Rollins 16, Alabama-Huntsville 15, Cal State-Bakersfield 15, West Liberty State 11, Sonoma State 9, Ferris State 5, Columbus State 3, Ashland 1, Saint Anselm 1, Presbyterian 1.

GENERATION GAP: Stonehill's 14-1 start to the season was the Skyhawks' best in 56 years, as the first Stonehill was 15-1 under Head Coach George Sullivan during the 1949-50 season.

REGIONAL RANK AND FILE: Stonehill was ranked second in the fifth NCAA Division II Northeast Regional rankings released by the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Committee last Wednesday, as the Skyhawks have held the top spot in the region on two occasions. The NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, with records listed through games played as of February 12th, are as follows:

1Bentley18-616-6

2Stonehill18-518-5

3Saint Anselm16-616-6

4Bryant17-717-7

5Massachusetts-Lowell18-718-7

6Adelphi19-418-4

7Saint Rose17-717-7

8Queens (New York)17-517-5

9Bridgeport17-917-8

10Philadelphia U15-915-7

CONFERENCE RANK AND FILE: In conference statistics released through games of February 19th, Stonehill leads the Northeast-10 in scoring defense (63.5 ppg), field goal percentage defense (.411), three-point field goal percentage defense (.308), assists (16.96 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24) and defensive rebounds (26.24 drpg). Mike Lauricella continues to lead the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.39), while Chris Kraus is tops in both assists (5.84 apg) and steals (2.36 spg). Marquis Taylor ranks second in defensive rebounds (5.40 drpg) as well for the Skyhawks.

NCAA RANK AND FILE: Stonehill is ranked in five team categories in the latest NCAA Division II national statistical leaders through games of February 12th, as the Skyhawks are 19th in free throw percentage, 28th in won-lost percentage, 32nd in scoring defense, 34th in field goal percentage defense and 41st in three-point field goals per game.. Individually, Chris Kraus is ranked 20th in assists and 41st in steals.

MORE RANK AND FILE: Five Stonehill athletic teams have now cracked the top 10 in their respective sports during the 2005-2006 academic year: Field Hockey (#4), Men's Cross Country (#9), Men's Basketball (#10) and Women's Basketball (#9). The defending national champion Skyhawk women's lacrosse team has been picked as the top-ranked team in Division II circles as well in the Lacrosse Magazine pre-season poll.

AYE, AYE CAPTAINS: Seniors Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J./Don Bosco) and Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford) have been named as co-captains for the 2005-2006 edition of Stonehill men's basketball. Lauricella, who also served as a Skyhawk captain last season, averaged 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds off the bench last season, while Nelson added 5.6 points and 3.4 caroms per contest in a reserve role as well last winter for Stonehill.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Stonehill assistant coach Derik Malone was a four-year letterwinner at Babson under current Assumption Head Coach Serge DeBari, while sophomore Matt DiCalogero's (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) sister Kristen is a standout for the Greyhound women's squad.

BIG D-MAC ATTACK: After winning just 14 games in a two-and-a-half year stretch, Stonehill has posted a 40-13 (.755) mark in its last 53 contests under David McLaughlin's tutelage dating back to November 2004.

A GRAND ENTRANCE: Marquis Taylor became the 30th player in Stonehill men's basketball history to reach the 1,000 career point plateau with a 15-point performance in the Skyhawks' 82-64 win over Assumption on January 10th. Dezmond Morgan was the last Skyhawk to reach that plateau, as he did so last season ironically in a January match-up with Assumption. Here are the members of Stonehill's 1,000 Point Club:

1.Mike Allocco2,3991969-73

2.Jon Cronin2,3011988-92

3.Bob Reitz2,2181979-83

4.Bill Zolga1,8221977-80

5.Mike Barros1,6791984-88

6.George Peterson1,6041964-67

7.David Donnelly1,4981995-99

8.Ed Grzembski1,4861987-91

9.Brian Cronin1,4741985-89

10.Dick Munson1,4481962-65

11.Leo Denault1,3981958-61

12.Paul Sincero1,3681950-53

13.Chris Butler1,3621991-95

14.Ron Richards1,3021965-68

15.Bob Duarte1,2791983-87

16.Tony Fiore1,2551981-85

17.Jason Jacobsen1,2271988-92

18.MARQUIS TAYLOR1,2042002-06

19.Kyle Quimby1,1851999-03

20.Art Horan1,1211968-71

21.Dezmond Morgan1,1192001-05

22.Derrik Jerman1,098 1989-93

23.Henry Jackson1,0901970-73

24.Jamal Gomes1,0821991-95

25.Howie Bain1,0631971-74

26.Lorenzo Lapido1,0611990-94

27.Adrian Machado1,0431992-96

28.Rollie Hollins1,0211971-74

29.Charlie Simonds1,0111973-77

30.Justin LoVerme1,0071997-01

SKYHAWK TALK: Last Wednesday's win over Southern New Hampshire was Stonehill's first over the Penmen since November 1999Junior Soap Toun (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) and freshman Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) combined for career-best efforts in last Wednesday's win over Southern New Hampshire, as Toun netted 17 points and Hall added 14 points, including a 75-foot buzzer beater just before the halfChris Kraus notched his third career double-double with 16 points and 10 assists in the February 7th setback at UMass LowellThe February 11th win at Franklin Pierce was Stonehill's third in the last four meetings with the RavensAll three of Stonehill's series victories against Saint Rose have come during David McLaughlin's tenure as head coach Taylor matched his career-high effort in the scoring column with 26 points in the February 1st win over Pace, as he also netted 26 points against the Setters in an overtime victory last season in PleasantvilleThe January 16th win over Saint Anselm was Stonehill's first over the Hawks at Merkert Gymnasium since December 9, 1997 and gave the Skyhawks a regular season series sweep of Saint Anselm for the first time since the 1990-91 campaignStonehill has won six straight in the series with Saint Michael's dating back to January 2003Clarke hit the 20-point plateau in a game for the second time this season in the January 10th triumph over Assumption, as he matched his career-high set on opening night (November 18th) against MolloyThe January 7th victory was Stonehill's 36th in 60 series meetings with 2005 NCAA national runner-up Bryant, as the Skyhawks have swept the last two regular season series match-ups (four contests) from the Bulldogs The Skyhawks have assisted on over two-thirds of their field goals on the season, notching 424 assists on 639 field goals through 25 gamesThe Skyhawks have led at the half in 18 of their 25 outings to date Prior to last season, Stonehill's last 20-win campaign came in 1997-98 when the Skyhawks won the Northeast-10 regular season crown en route to a berth in the NCAA Division II "Sweet Sixteen" The Skyhawks have eclipsed the 80-point plateau on 21 occasions in McLaughlin's 70-game tenure as head coach.

SKYHAWKS ON THE WEB: For the second straight season, Stonehill basketball can be accessed on the world wide web through Free Teamline, a service of TRZ Sports of Kent, Ohio. A total of 15 Skyhawk regular season men's basketball broadcasts will be available throughout the 2005-2006 season via Free Teamline by accessing the official Stonehill Athletics website at www.stonehillskyhawks.com, powered by Presto Sports. Returning to call all of action of Stonehill basketball once again this winter is the tandem of Charlie Bergeron and Brian Buckley, who have served as the voices of Skyhawk Basketball since 1998.

WHO'S NEXT: Stonehill will host a Northeast-10 quarterfinal round contest next Monday, February 27th at Merkert Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. EST against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Complete league playoff pairings will be announced by the conference office later this evening.