Moreton totaled 15 points and seven rebounds to help lead the Skyhawks to the key win. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Lee leads Skyhawks in return with 16 points and seven rebounds
EASTON, Mass. (January 31, 2018) – Stonehill College bounced back from a weekend defeat to claim its fifth win over the last eight games with a 74-70 triumph over rival Bentley University in a key Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball matchup on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.
Senior KJ Lee (Huntington Station, New York/Long Island Lutheran) led Stonehill in his return after missing a pair of games by scoring 13 of his team-high 16 points in the second half, on 7-of-15 shooting, with seven rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Will Moreton (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Edina) added to the Skyhawks balanced offensive effort with 15 points and seven rebounds, while classmate Brandon Twitty (Randolph, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) contributed 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting, five rebounds (three offensive), two assists and three steals. Freshman Owen Chose (Eden Prairie, Minnesota/Eden Prairie) chipped in 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-3 from deep, while draining both free-throws, in 25 minutes off the bench, adding three boards and three assists.
Stonehill overcame 29-percent shooting (9-for-31) in the first half to connect on half its shots in the second half (17-34) to claim the win. The Skyhawks committed just four turnovers on the night as well and only one after halftime.
Lee returned to the lineup with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists. (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Junior Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ontario/Williston-Northampton) and sophomore Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston-Northampton) combined for 46 points to lead Bentley. Richmond netted 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Hudson totaled 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, with six boards and two steals. Senior Brandon Wheeler (Stamford, Connecticut/Cheshire Academy) contributed a double-double for the Falcons with 12 points and ten rebounds, while adding two assists and two blocked shots.
Stonehill fought back from an eight point deficit (18-10) after a Wheeler layup with seven minutes remaining in the first half, to trail by just a point (27-26) at halftime, capped by a Lee three-pointer late in the frame. Bentley reclaimed a six-point cushion (37-31) after a Hudson layup 4:14 into the second half. Stonehill scored seven straight points to reclaim the lead (40-39) with 13:28 to play after five-straight points from Chose.
Back-to-back layups by junior Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) and Hudson pushed Bentley back in front by three (43-40) midway through the half. The lead teetered back and forth until Stonehill used a 10-2 run to grab a nine-point advantage (65-56) with two minutes to go after two-straight baskets from Lee.
Stonehill's lead was still nine (69-60) after two free-throws from senior Ryan Roach (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Cardinal Spellman) with 52-seconds left, when Bentley took advantage of missed free-throws by the Skyhawks, a three-pointer from freshman Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon, Massachusetts/Thayer Academy) and five points by Richmond, capped by a three-point play, to cut the lead to two (70-68) with 14-seconds to go. Sophomore Dan Largey (Oceanport, New Jersey/Peddie School) and Chose steadied the Skyhawks by canning four free-throws from there to seal the win.
Stonehill (12-9, 8-7 NE10) is right back at Merkert Gym on Saturday when it hosts Southern New Hampshire University in another key NE10 battle as part of Alumni Weekend at the College at 3:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online in advance at stonehillskyhawks.com. Bentley (11-9, 8-7 NE10) hosts Assumption College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
