Moreton scored 20 points for the 20th time in his career to lead four in double figures today (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Roberts and Carabello combine for 47 to lead Spartans past Skyhawks
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (November 10, 2019) – Saint Thomas Aquinas College, receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II preseason poll and ranked No. 4 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, took advantage of 13 first half turnovers by Stonehill College, ranked No. 6 in the region, to grab a 15-point halftime lead it wouldn't relinquish in notching an 85-70 victory in non-conference men's basketball action at Bobby Morgan Arena on the campus of University of the Sciences this afternoon.
Sophomores Demetre Roberts and Osbel Caraballo combined for 47 points to lead St. Thomas Aquinas to the win in a matchup of regionally ranked teams. Roberts hit 7-of-13 shots from the floor, including 2-for-5 from three-point distance, while converting all ten free throws for a game-high 26 points, adding seven assists and two steals. Caraballo netted 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, draining all five free throws, with five boards.
Sophomore Grant Singleton filled the stat sheet with 11 points, connecting on 3-of-6 threes, seven rebounds, four assists and five steals for STAC, while junior Louis Griffith rounded out the Spartans in double-figures with 13 points, hitting 3-of-5 three-pointers, and three steals. Junior Kevin Lynch pulled down a game-high ten rebounds.
Senior Will Moreton led four from Stonehill in double-figures with a season-high 20 points, marking his 20th career 20-point outing, netting 14 in the second half, with nine rebounds and two assists. Junior Owen Chose added a season-best 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting off the bench, connecting on 3-of-5 three-pointers, while sophomore Andrew Sims contributed a season-high 13 points and seven rebounds. Senior Brandon Twitty rounded out the Skyhawks in double figures with 13 points and three assists.
Sims posted season-highs of 13 points and seven rebounds for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
St. Thomas Aquinas took advantage of 13 first half turnovers by Stonehill to stake out a 15-point halftime lead, netting 16 of its 44 first half point off the turnovers. The Spartans used a 19-2 first half run that turned a 12-12 game into a 17-point lead (33-16) after a three-pointer from Griffith with five minutes left before halftime. Griffith netted a pair of triples during the run as the Spartans also got a five points from Roberts during that stretch.
Stonehill quickly trimmed its 15-point halftime deficit (44-19) into single digits early in the second half, drawing within seven (46-39) less than three minutes in after back-to-back threes by Chose and Moreton. The Skyhawks were back within six (49-43) following a layup by senior Michael Boen with 15:35 remaining, and then drew within five (56-51) after a Chose three midway through the half.
Stonehill trailed by six (60-54) with 7:38 to play, when St. Thomas Aquinas was able to seal the win with a 13-4 run that turned a seven point lead (64-57) after a Moreton three with 6:24 to go, into a 16 point advantage (77-61) with 2:30 to play, following five straight points by Roberts.
Stonehill (1-1, 0-0 NE10) returns to action on Friday, when it opens play at the American Family Insurance Classic at the University of Minnesota-Duluth against Southwest Minnesota State University at 6 p.m. (EST). The Skyhawks home opener is Saturday, November 23, against Saint Michael's College for a Northeast-10 Conference clash at Merkert Gymnasium at 3:30 p.m. STAC (2-0, 0-0 NE10) visits Goldey-Beacom College on Wednesday at 8 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.
