Moreton and Twitty combine for 42 points as Skyhawks open second semester with key regional win

Twitty scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half to help the Skyhawks seal the win (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

EASTON, Mass. (January 4, 2020) – Stonehill College shot over 60-percent from the floor in the second half and connected for 14 three-pointers in posting an 82-76 victory over Daemen College, ranked No. 15 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll and No. 16 in the D2SIDA Top 25 Media Poll, in non-conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon. 

Leaders

Stonehill

Will Moreton Senior, Guard: 22 points (6-for-15, 3-for-6 threes, 7-for-9 free throws) for his 25^th career 20-point game, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Seven fouls drawn.

Brandon Twitty Senior, Guard: 20 points (8-for-11, 4-for-6 threes, including 18 in the second half, with three assists.15^th career 20-point game.

Owen Chose Junior, Guard: 14 points, three rebounds, three assists.

Monty Urmilevicius Junior, Forward: Seven rebounds, six points, three assists, three blocked shots

Daemen

Breon Harris Senior, Guard: Game-high 23 points (9-for-14, 5-for-7 threes), including 15 in the second half, four steals.

Andrew Sischo Junior, Center: 22 points (7-for-11, 8-11 FTs), eight rebounds, eight fouls drawn

Joey Wallace Senior, Guard: 12 points, four rebounds, two blocks

Jeff Redband Senior, Forward: 10 points (3-for-5, 2-for-4 threes), seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and blocked shot.

How it Happened

• Daemen jumped out to an early nine-point lead (14-5) after a three-pointer by Wallace 5:35 into the game. Wallace scored seven of his 12 points on the afternoon in the opening 5:35, while Harris sparked a run of eight-straight points by the Wildcats with a three-pointer.
• Stonehill answered with nine-straight points as four different Skyhawks scored to draw even (14-14) after a Moreton layup with 9:39 left in the opening quarter. Chose also keyed the run with a three-pointer.
• Sischo and Harris responded with back to back baskets to take a four point lead (18-14) a minute later. Sischo canned a pair of free throws to stretch the lead to five (25-20) with 6:21 left in the first.

  Moreton led the Skyhawks with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

• Stonehill scored the next ten points, four by Urmilevicius, to grab a five point lead (30-25) after Chose converted a four-point play with three minutes to go in the half.
• Stonehill took a two-point lead (33-31) into halftime, but Daemen regained the lead (38-36) just over two minutes into the second half after five-straight points from Harris.
• The teams traded the lead back and forth over the next three minutes, before Stonehill used an 8-2 spurt to reclaim a five-point lead (53-48) on a Twitty triple with 13:14 to play. Moreton sparked the stretch with a three-point play, while Twitty added five points.
• Daemen drew even (55-55) on a three by Redband midway through the half, and then grabbed the lead two more times after threes by Harris and Redband again, the latter of which created a one point margin (63-62) with 7:39 remaining.
• Stonehill followed with the next seven points to open a six-point cushion (69-63) with a three by sophomore Josh Mack with 5:53 left.
• Chose hit a three to stretch the Stonehill lead to a game-high seven (72-65) with four minutes to play and then Urmilevicius matched that margin with a layup inside a minute later.
• Back to back baskets from Sischo pulled Daemen back within three (74-71) with 2:15 left, but Twitty answered with a triple to regain a six point lead (77-71) with 1:48 to play.
• Daemen pulled back within three after a basket from senior Jay Sarkis with 55-seconds to go, but would get no closer.
• Senior Michael Boen snared a key offensive board at the other end and then Chose sealed the win with four free-throws in the closing 28-seconds.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill improved to 4-0 at Merkert Gym this season, posting a second-straight home win over a nationally-ranked opponent, including a 70-57 victory over then No. 20/20 Saint Anselm College on December 7.
• Stonehill are now winners of five of its last six after a 3-4 start.
• Daemen, ranked No. 2 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, was playing its third game in four days to open the New Year against NE10 opposition, finishing 1-2.
• Will Moreton and Brandon Twitty combined for 42 points to lead Stonehill, while Breon Harris and Andrew Sischo combined for 45 for Daemen.
• Twitty moved into 37^th place on Stonehill's all-time scoring list with his 20 points today giving him 1,033 points in 89 career games, moving past Rollie Hollins, '74 (1,021).
• Stonehill finished 14-for-27 (51.9%) from three-point range, including 8-of-15 (53.3%) in the second half, when the Skyhawks shot 62.5% (15-24) overall in the final 20-minutes.

Up Next

Stonehill (7-5, 4-2 NE10) is back in action on Wednesday, when it visits the University of Bridgeport for another key regional non-conference matchup at 3 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym next Saturday, January 11, returning to Northeast-10 Conference play by hosting Le Moyne College, ranked tenth in the region, at 3:30 p.m. Daemen (13-3, 2-1 ECC) hosts Queens (N.Y.) College on Friday, January 10, at 8 p.m.

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