Taylor Scores 17 Points, Clarke Adds 14 Points And Go-Ahead Bucket As Men's Basketball Remains Tied For First Place With Key 67-62 Northeast-10 Triumph At Saint Rose

February 4, 2006

STONEHILL MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, February 4, 2006

Nolan Gymnasium, Albany, N.Y.

FINAL:STONEHILL 67, SAINT ROSE 62

ALBANY, N.Y.-- Senior Marquis Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, while junior Lance Clarke (Somerville, Mass.) added 14 points, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:24 remaining, to lift Stonehill to a 67-62 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball victory over Saint Rose Saturday afternoon at Nolan Gymnasium.

The visiting Skyhawks (17-4, 13-4 Northeast-10) built a seven-point halftime advantage (32-25) and stretched that margin to 13 points (57-44) with 8:34 to play in the contest on a lay-in by freshman Matt Hall (Springfield, Mass.), but the host Golden Knights (16-7, 12-6 Northeast-10) used a 16-3 run over a 6:20 stretch to take a two-point cushion at 60-58 on a three-pointer by senior Brad Shove (Pittsfield, Mass.) with 2:14 remaining. A free throw by senior Chris Kraus (Markham, Ont.) enabled Stonehill to close back to within one on the ensuing possession, and a steal by senior Mike Lauricella (Norwood, N.J.) led to Clarke's go-ahead lay-in that gave the Skyhawks a 63-60 edge. Four Kraus free throws in the final 24 seconds of play that sandwiched a Shove three-pointer help ice the contest for the visitors, who have won three straight and remain in a first place tie in the Northeast-10 standings with Bentley, who defeated Pace as well on Saturday.

Senior Sean Nelson (Milford, Mass.) joined Taylor and Clarke in double figures with 12 points in the win for Stonehill, ranked fifth in this week's NCAA Northeast Regional poll. Kraus finished with nine points and six assists for the Skyhawks, who also received eight points from freshman Nick Smith (Colonia, N.J.) as well as five assists and three steals from Lauricella. Stonehill shot 49 percent from the field and canned seven three-pointers while assisting on 19 of its 25 field goals, and the Skyhawks also held a 29-24 rebounding advantage in posting their third win in the last four meetings with Saint Rose.

Shove led all scorers with 29 points in the setback for Saint Rose, which also received 12 points from junior Clayton Longmire (Rochester, N.Y.). Sophomore Shanty Robinson (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) added eight points as well for the Golden Knights, who also received six assists from sophomore Steve Dagostino (Guilderland, N.Y.). The hosts shot 48 percent from the field but connected on only 4-of-15 attempts from three-point range, as Saint Rose also hurt itself with 18 turnovers on the afternoon.

Stonehill travels to Lowell, Mass. on Tuesday evening for a key Northeast-10 match-up with UMass Lowell that begins at 7:30 p.m., while Saint Rose heads to Pleasantville, N.Y. on Tuesday evening to take on Pace in a Northeast-10 outing that also begins at 7:30 p.m.