Logan led the Skyhawks with a season-high matching 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Boen cans two free-throws with 1.9-seconds left to lift Skyhawks to victory

EASTON, Mass. (December 10, 2016) – Sophomore guard Michael Boen (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) drained two free-throws with 1.9-seconds remaining to clinch an 82-80 Stonehill College triumph over rival Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Boen's free-throws came after he was fouled on a tip-in on the right side of the paint off a missed layup as Stonehill held on down the stretch after leading by as much as 23-points early in the second half. Boen finished with six points and two rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench as senior Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) led the Skyhawks with a season-high matching 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists. Junior KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) scored 11 of his 19 points in the first half, finishing 9-for-17 from the floor, with six boards, three assists and two steals.

Freshman Will Moreton (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Edina) added 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three-point distance, converting both free-throw attempts, with a season-high nine rebounds. Classmate Brandon Twitty (Randolph, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) chipped in nine points, four boards, two assists, two steals and a block in his second career start.

Sophomore Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) scored 14 of his team-high 20 points for Bentley in the second half, finishing shooting 8-for-17 from the floor, converting all three free-throws, with three rebounds. Classmate Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ontario/Williston-Northampton) added 17 points, aided by 7-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line, with six rebounds, three assists and two steals, while senior Ferguson Duke (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia/Hun School (N.J.)) registered 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-for-5 from deep, off the bench. Junior Brandon Wheeler (Stamford, Connecticut/Cheshire Academy) chipped in with a game-high 11 rebounds for the Falcons.

Stonehill finished shooting 48.6-percent from the field (34-for-70) after connecting at 61.3% (19-for-31) in the first half, converting 9-of-13 (69.2%) free-throws. The Skyhawks turned the ball over just five times in the game, while Bentley held a 41-37 rebounding edge and saw its bench outscore the home reserves 27-8 to provide a lift. The Falcons shot 42.2% (27-64) overall, including 50% (17-34) in the second half to get back into the game after connecting at just 33.3% (10-30) in the opening half.

Stonehill held a game-high 23 point lead (61-38) four minutes into the second half after an 8-0 run, with six points coming within a minute spurt following a timeout, the final four from Logan. The Skyhawks lead was 17 (67-50) after a Logan layup with 11:35 to go, when Bentley scored nine straight to draw within eight (67-59) after a three-point play from Gilpin midway through the half.

Moreton totaled 16 points and nine rebounds for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix)

Baskets from Lee and Logan restored a 12-point Stonehill cushion (71-59) with 9:26 left, but Bentley followed with an 11-2 run to close the gap to three (73-70) after a three-pointer from senior Matt Barr (Stratham, New Hampshire/Cushing Academy) with six minutes to go. The Falcons pulled even on a three-point play by Duke with 2:19 remaining, but junior Joel Berroa (Lawrence, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy) answered with a three-pointer to nudge the Skyhawks back in front with 1:46 on the clock.

Bentley drew level again (80-80) after a jumper by Gilpin and a free-throw by Wheeler, who missed the second for a chance to give the Falcons their first lead since early in the first half, with 49-seconds remaining. Stonehill worked the clock down and missed two shots before Logan grabbed the Skyhawks third offensive rebound of the possession and then called a timeout with 19-seconds left. Logan worked the ball inside, missing a layup, but Boen crashed the backboards for Stonehill's third offensive board of the possession and was fouled putting the ball back up with 1.9-seconds to go. He calmly drained both free-throws after a Bentley timeout and Logan tipped the inbounds pass, causing the time to expire before the Falcons could get a shot off to seal the Skyhawks third straight win.

Stonehill used a 12-2 run to open its first double-digit lead of the game (28-18) after a Moreton jumper with 8:35 to play in the first half. The Skyhawks extended the run to 23-6 to push their lead to 17 (39-22) following a Moreton three-pointer with 5:20 remaining in the half, but Bentley was able to close back within ten (39-29) after back to back threes by freshman Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Massachusetts/The Hill School) and Richmond.

Stonehill reclaimed its 17 point cushion (48-31) at the intermission, and then Moreton drilled a three to open the second half to extend the lead to 20 (51-31) for the first time. The Skyhawks were unable to run away with the game despite the lead growing to a game-high 23 (61-38) with 16-minutes to go after two straight baskets from Logan.

Stonehill (6-4, 4-3 NE10), ranked tenth in the D2SIDA East Regional poll, closes out its first semester schedule on Monday night when it visits The College of Saint Rose, ranked fourth in the region, for a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on New Year's Eve to host the University of Bridgeport at Merkert Gym at 1 p.m. Bentley (4-6, 2-5 NE-10) visit American International College for a non-conference battle next Monday, December 19, at 6 p.m.

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