Men's Basketball Looks To Continue Winning Ways Wednesday Evening As Skyhawks Entertain Pace In Northeast-10 Match-Up

January 31, 2006

2005-2006 Stonehill College Men's Basketball

7:30 p.m. EST

THE GAME: Stonehill seeks its second straight victory this evening as the Skyhawks entertain the Pace Setters in a Northeast-10 Conference encounter. Stonehill enters tonight's action after posting a 68-55 Northeast-10 triumph over Southern Connecticut last Saturday afternoon here at Merkert Gymnasium, as senior co-captain Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford) led three players in double figures with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) added 17 points and seven boards in the win for the Skyhawks, who also received 11 points and three assists from junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin). Senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont./Markham District) recorded seven points, five assists and four stelas in the triumph for Stonehill, which shot 53 percent from the field and canned seven three-pointers while assisting on 21 of 24 field goals. Pace enters tonight's action having won two straight and three of its last four outings, as the Setters posted an 85-81 Northeast-10 victory over Merrimack last Saturday afternoon at the Goldstein Center in Pleasantville, N.Y.

HONOR ROLL HONOREES: Seniors Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass./Milford) and Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif./Naval Prep) each earned spots on the Northeast-10 Conference weekly honor roll on Monday for their efforts in a pair of Stonehill contests last week. Nelson averaged 15.5 points, eight rebounds, three assists, 1.5 steals and one block on the week, including 18 points, seven boards and four assists in a 68-55 win over Southern Connecticut as well as 13 points and nine caroms in a 78-72 setback at Bentley. Taylor averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds and two blocks on the week, including 17 points and seven rebounds against Southern Connecticut and 13 points and six boards against Bentley.

LAST MEETING: Stonehill and Pace last met on February 2, 2005 at the Goldstein Center in Pleasantville, N.Y., and the Skyhawks posted a 99-95 double-overtime victory over the Setters. Marquis Taylor led four players in double figures with a career-high 26 points and nine boards, while Dezmond Morgan added 24 points and seven rebounds for Stonehill.

THE SKYHAWKS: Taylor leads Stonehill in scoring and rebounding at 15.9 ppg and 6.8 caroms per contest, while Nelson follows at 13.8 ppg and adds 6.0 rpg. Clarke is next at 11.7 ppg, while Kraus is also in double figures for the Skyhawks at 10.5 ppg while adding 5.2 assists per game.

THE SETTERS: Sophomore Ryan Williams leads Pace in scoring at 17.6 ppg, while senior Neal Wellington follows at 14.8 ppg. Sophomore Gibraltar White is next at 10.3 ppg, while junior Oneil Morgan and sophomore Desmond Quincy-Jones pace the Setters on the boards at 6.3 rpg each.

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 40-24 (.625) mark during his tenure after previously serving as an assistant coach, including Stonehill's first 20-win season in seven years last winter. McLaughlin, who is assisted by Derik Malone, Josh Meyer and Mike Harding, is 1-2 during his career against Pace.

HEAD COACH JIM HARTER: Jim Harter is in his eighth season as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Pace University. A 1982 graduate of Delaware, Harter has compiled an overall mark of 137-97 (.585) during his tenure with the Setters, and he is assisted by Kim Swaim, Todd Ziogas and James Wallace. Harter is 9-5 during his career against Stonehill.

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

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 RANK AND FILE: Stonehill was ranked third in the second NCAA Division II Northeast Regional rankings released by the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Committee last Wednesday afternoon, as the Skyhawks earned the top spot in the region on January 18th. The NCAA Northeast Regional rankings, with records listed through games played as of January 22nd, are as follows:

1.Massachusetts-Lowell15-415-4

2.Saint Rose15-415-4

3.Stonehill14-314-3

4.Saint Anselm12-512-5

5.Southern New Hampshire11-611-6

6.Bryant11-611-6

7.Queens (New York)12-412-4

8.Adelphi11-410-4

9.Bloomfield9-69-6

10.Bentley11-69-6

NATIONAL RANK AND FILE: Stonehill received votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II national poll for the sixth straight week on Tuesday afternoon, as the Skyhawks have been ranked as high as 10th nationally. 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 January 31st NABC Division II national poll:

RankSchool (first place votes)RecordPointsPrevious Rank

1Virginia Union (6)14-21875

2Fort Hays State, Kan. 18-11826

3Southern Indiana (1)21-21778

4Western Washington16-2 164NR

5Seattle Pacific, Wash. (1)16-21627

6Montevallo, Ala.18-2-NR

7Findlay, Ohio18-21549

8Barton, N.C.15-115210

9Delta State, Miss.18-114411

10Saint Joseph's, Ind.18-2136NR

11Southwest Baptist, Mo.18-2129NR

12Northern State, S.D.17-211913

13Wionna State, Minn.16-410316

14Alabama-Huntsville17-390NR

15Tarleton State, Texas16-48225

16Grand Valley State, Mich.17-37521

17Alderson-Broaddus, W. Va.14-35320

18tSouthern Illinois Edwardsville15-350NR

18tWest Liberty State, W. Va.16-232NR

20Columbus State, Ga.14-530NR

21Minnesota State-Mankato17-428NR

22Truman State, MO16-4-NR

23Saint Anselm, N. H. 15-524NR

24Johnson C. Smith, N.C.14-423NR

25Clayton State, Ga.15-320NR

Others Receiving Votes: Central Missouri State 15, Mount Olive 11, Massachusetts-Lowell 10, Chaminade 9, Northwest Missouri State 8, Saint Augustine's 8, West Virginia State 7, Armstrong Atlantic State 6, Stonehill 5, Grand Canyon 5, Lynn 3, Saint Rose 3, Ferris State 2, Sonoma State 2, Ashland 1, Bentley 1.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: In conference statistics released through games of January 29th, Stonehill leads the Northeast-10 in free throw percentage (.749), field goal percentage defense (.405), three-point field goal percentage defense (.290), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30) and defensive rebounds (27.00 drpg). Senior co-captain Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J./Don Bosco) continues to lead the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), while Chris Kraus is ranked second in steals (2.21 spg).

NCAA RANK AND FILE: Stonehill is ranked in five team categories in the latest NCAA Division II national statistical leaders through games of January 29th, as the Skyhawks are 17th in free throw percentage, 29th in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage defense and won-lost percentage and 38th in scoring defense. Chris Kraus is ranked 41st individually in assists and 42nd in free throw percentage.

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.

BIG D-MAC ATTACK: After winning just 14 games in a two-and-a-half year stretch, Stonehill has posted a 35-12 (.745) mark in its last 47 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.Kyle Quimby1,1851999-03

19.Art Horan1,1211968-71

20.Dezmond Morgan1,1192001-05

21.MARQUIS TAYLOR1,0992002-06

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

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.

SKYHAWK TALK: The 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 322 assists on 489 field goals through 19 gamesThe Skyhawks have led at the half in 14 of their 19 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 20 occasions in McLaughlin's 64-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 hits the road for the next three games, beginning on Saturday, February 4th when the Skyhawks head to Albany, N.Y. for a key Northeast-10 showdown with Saint Rose that tips-off at 3:30 p.m. EST at Nolan Gymnasium. Stonehill will also visit UMass Lowell and Franklin Pierce as part of its three-game road excursion.