Taylor Posts Double-Double Performance Of 23 Points And 10 Rebounds As Men's Basketball Notches Fourth Triumph In Five Outings With 65-61 Northeast-10 Victory At Saint Anselm

November 30, 2005

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Stoutenburgh Gymnasium, Manchester, N.H.

FINAL:STONEHILL 65, SAINT ANSELM 61

MANCHESTER, N.H.-- Senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) posted a double-double effort of 23 points and 10 rebounds as Stonehill overcame a two-point halftime deficit to post a 65-61 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over Saint Anselm Wednesday evening at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.

Taylor netted 14 points after intermission as the visiting Skyhawks (4-1, 2-1 Northeast-10) overcame a 27-25 deficit at the break to forge four second half ties before using an 11-2 outburst over a 6:15 stretch to take a 49-40 lead with just under seven minutes remaining on a three-pointer by senior Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J.). The host and defending league tournament champion Hawks (2-2, 1-2 Northeast-10) answered back with a 12-5 run of their own to close to within a bucket at 54-52 on a jumper by sophomore Jeff Dickson (Bedford, N.H.) with 3:20 remaining. Stonehill responded with seven straight points, capped by four free throws from Taylor and Lauricella, to regain a nine-point cushion, and after Saint Anselm pulled to within three (64-61) in the closing seconds, a free throw by junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass.) with nine seconds to play iced the Skyhawk triumph, Stonehill's second straight at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.

Freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.) came off the bench to score a career-high 12 points in the win for Stonehill, which received 10 points from Lauricella as well as eight points and six rebounds from senior Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass.). Clarke finished with seven points and four assists for the Skyhawks, who shot 39 percent from the field but outscored Saint Anselm by a 16-8 margin at the foul line in the second half while canning eight three-pointers.

Senior Jim Moore (Worcester, Mass.) scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Saint Anselm, as Dickson and senior Darlington Okerulu (Jersey City, N.J.) each added 10 points in the setback for the Hawks, who shot 35 percent from the floor for the evening while holding a slim 37-36 rebounding edge.

Stonehill hosts LeMoyne in a Northeast-10 outing on Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium beginning at 3:30 p.m., while Saint Anselm heads to Waltham, Mass. on Saturday afternoon to take on second-ranked Bentley in a Northeast-10 match-up that also begins at 3:30 p.m.