Junior Ryan Logan scored ten of his team-high 12 points in the second half at Southern N.H. today. (PHOTO BY Lewis Glass/SportsPix) |
Walters and Sanders combine for 39 as Penmen snap Skyhawks streak
MANCHESTER, N.H. (December 12, 2015) – Southern New Hampshire University held off Stonehill College in the second half to claim a 59-57 victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at SNHU Fieldhouse this afternoon.
Senior Rodney Sanders (Elizabeth, New Jersey/Linden) and junior Chris Walters (Stamford, Connecticut/Westhill) combined for 39 points to lead Southern New Hampshire to its second straight win. Walters scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, while converting 4-of-9 free-throws, while adding a game-high eight rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. Sanders added 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting, with four rebounds and three steals. Senior BJ Cardarelli (Manchester, Connecticut/East Catholic) chipped in with nine points, five boards and three steals for the Penmen.
Junior Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) led a balanced Stonehill effort with ten of his team-leading 12 points in the second half, adding seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Seniors Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and Pierce Cumpstone (Bainbridge Township, Ohio/Kenston) each added 11 points for the Skyhawks. Smith made 4-of-9 shots from the floor, including 3-for-7 from three-point distance to move within seven points of becoming the program's 38th 1,000-point scorer, while Cumpstone shot 5-for-7 from the field with five boards, two blocked shots and two steals.
Southern New Hampshire shot 48-percent from the field, including 50% (11-for-22) in the second half, and held a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers, taking advantage of 19 Stonehill giveaways. The Skyhawks were limited to 42.3% shooting (22-for-52) overall, including 37% (10-27) in the second half, making 7-of-20 (35%) three-pointers for the afternoon.
Senior Pierce Cumpstone recorded 11 points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench. (PHOTO BY Lewis Glass/SportsPix) |
Stonehill fell behind early, trailing by eight (15-7) after a Walters three-pointer four minutes into the game. SNHU stretched its lead to 11 (25-14) with a Sanders layup midway through the half, before the Skyhawks scored eight straight, including the last four from sophomore Isaiah Bess (LaGrange, Maine/Hampden Academy), to pull back within three (25-22) with six minutes left in the half.
SNHU regained a seven point cushion (29-22) after a Walters layup with 4:39 on the clock, but Stonehill scored the last five points of the half, including a three-pointer from senior Adam Bramanti (Middleton, Massachusetts/Masconomet), to trail by just two at halftime (29-27). The Skyhawks scored the first seven points of the second half to take their first lead of the game (34-29) following a Carter three-pointer two minutes in.
SNHU reversed the lead (40-36) with an 11-2 run, capped by two free-throws by Cardarelli with 15 minutes to go. Stonehill took the lead back with back to back three-pointers from Logan and then neither team would lead by more than a possession before junior Devin Gilligan (Amherst, New Hampshire/Kimball Union) gave the Penmen a four point lead (54-50) on a layup with 5:48 remaining.
Smith hit a triple to pull Stonehill within a point with 4:26 to play, but SNHU scored four straight for a five point advantage (58-53) after a Sanders jumper with 3:22 left. Logan pulled the Skyhawks back within two (59-57) with 1:15 on the clock, but neither team would score the rest of the way. The Penmen missed two chances on their next possession, before the Skyhawks got another possession to pull even. Stonehill turned the ball over, but got a last second bid from full court after an SNHU turnover. However, Logan's full-court pass was intercepted as time expired to seal the win for the Penmen.
Stonehill (8-2, 4-2 NE-10) returns to action next Sunday, December 20, when it visits Bloomfield College for a non-conference matchup at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks don't return home until after the New Year when they host Le Moyne College on Wednesday, January 6, at 7:30 p.m. Southern N.H. (6-4, 3-3 NE-10) hosts Lincoln University next Sunday, December 20, at 1 p.m.
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