Sims led four Skyhawks in double-figures with a season-high 20 points (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Sims leads four Skyhawks in double-figures with season-high 20 points
ROCKVILLE CENTER, N.Y. (December 11, 2019) – Stonehill College shot nearly 56-percent from the field and placed four in double-figures in posting its fourth-straight win with an 80-66 decision over Molloy College in non-conference men's basketball action inside Quealy Gymnasium this evening.
Sophomore Andrew Sims led Stonehill's four double-figure scorers with a season-high 20 points (14 second half) on 7-of-11 shooting, including 2-for-4 from three-point distance, adding a game-high nine rebounds and a blocked shot. Junior Monty Urmilevicius notched a career-best 14 points, including 12 in the first half, on 7-of-9 shooting, six rebounds and three assists, while classmate Owen Chose scored 11 of his 17 points in the first half, finishing 4-of-8 from the floor, including 3-for-5 from three-point distance, converting 6-of-8 free-throws, with three boards and two steals.
Senior Brandon Twitty inched closer to the 1,000-point plateau, rounding out Stonehill's double-figure scorers with 11 points, nine in the second half, three assists and two steals. He is now just two point shy of becoming the program's 41st 1,000-point scorer. Classmate Will Moreton chipped in nine points, eight rebounds, six assists and a block.
Senior Nick Corbett scored a game-high 24 points to lead Molloy's three double-figure scorers, connecting on 9-of-19 shots, with four rebounds, three assists and a steal. Junior Steven Torre added 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting off the bench with three boards and two steals, while junior Justin Caldwell registered ten points and two steals.
Stonehill overcame a slow start and used a 22-4 surge to grab the lead for good over the final seven minutes of the first half. Molloy held two early six point leads at 10-4 after a Corbett jumper five minutes into the game and then 14-8 following another Corbett basket with 12:40 remaining in the first half, before securing a seven-point lead (17-10) after a steal and layup by Torre a minute later. The Skyhawks started their run from there, scoring the next seven points, capped by a three-pointer from Chose to draw level (17-17) with 9:17 left in the frame.
Urmilevicius scored 12 of his career-best 14 points in the first half (PHOTO BY Mike Tureski/SportsPix) |
Molloy countered with baskets from Caldwell and Torre, around a layup from Urmilevicius, but Chose buried another three to push Stonehill in front (22-21) with 7:15 to go before the half that sparked 13-straight points for the visitors. Chose added another triple during that stretch that saw the Skyhawks grab an 11-point lead (32-21) after a Sims basket with 4:38 to play. The Lions closed the gap to four (34-30) when Corbett was fouled on a three and converted all three free-throws with 1:52 left in the half as the Skyhawks maintained a six-point (38-32) halftime cushion.
Stonehill opened the second half by extending its lead to 12 (46-34) with a three-pointer from Sims less than three minutes in. The Skyhawks stretched the lead to 14 (51-37) with a Twitty basket six minutes into the half, when Molloy netted seven of nine points to draw back within seven (53-46) on a Caldwell layup with 11:23 on the clock. That would be as close as the Lions would get as Stonehill had an answer to each run.
Stonehill restored a 12-point lead (70-58) after a free throw from sophomore Josh Mack with 3:26 left, but Corbett connected on a three with three minutes to go that gave Molloy hope. The Skyhawks sealed the win from there, draining five of six free throws, including three by Chose, before Sims gave the visitors a 15-point lead (77-62) with a basket with 1:20 left.
Stonehill (7-4, 4-2 NE10) is now off until after final exams, when it will wrap up the first semester schedule at Caldwell University on Sunday, December 22, at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks don't return home until after the New Year, when it hosts nationally-ranked Daemen College, ranked first in the East Region, for a non-conference battle at Merkert Gymnasium at noon. Molloy (4-5, 1-0 ECC) visits Queens (N.Y.) College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
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