Chose leads six Skyhawks in double-figures with season-high matching 24 points

Chose matched his season-high with 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

EASTON, Mass. (March 1, 2020) – Northeast Division No. 2 seed Stonehill College, ranked No. 6 in the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings shot nearly 60-percent from the field and placed six in double figures on its way to an 86-71 victory over Southwest No. 3 Southern Connecticut State University in quarterfinal round action of the 2020 Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball tournament on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Stonehill (18-10, 13-6 NE10) advances to the NE10 semifinals for the first time since 2016 and will host Southwest No. 5 University of New Haven at Merkert Gym on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Chargers are in the semifinals for the second-straight year after notching a pair of tournament wins over the last three days, including a 75-73 upset of Southwest top-seed Le Moyne College (19-9, 15-4 NE10) in a quarterfinal in Syracuse, New York, this afternoon. Southern Connecticut State sees its season close at 16-11 overall, including 11-8 in the NE10. 

Leaders

Stonehill

Owen Chose Junior, Guard: Season-high matching 24 points (8-of-9, 4-for-5 threes, 4-for-4 FTs), three rebounds and two assists.

Will Moreton Senior, Guard: 13^th double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, seven assists and a steal.

Brandon Twitty Senior, Guard: 11 points, two rebounds and three steals.

Josh Mack Sophomore, Guard: 11 points (5-for-5), three rebounds and two steals.

Andrew Sims Sophomore, Forward: 11 points (5-for-6), three rebounds and two blocked shots.

Monty Urmilevicius Junior, Forward: 10 points (4-for-6), five rebounds and three assists.

Southern Connecticut State

Taurus Adams II Senior, Forward: 16 points (7-for-10), eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

Lyron Bennett Freshman, Guard: 13 points (6-for-17), three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Isaiah Boissard Junior, Guard: 13 points (5-for-11), two rebounds, two assists.

Greg Jones Junior, Forward: 12 points (4-for-9, 2-for-3 threes) and six rebounds.

Moreton posted his 13th double-double and nearly logged a triple double in helping the Skyhawks advance (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

How it Happened

• Stonehill scored the first eight points of the game, sparked by three-pointers from Twitty and Chose, but Southern Connecticut rallied to take the lead (14-13) with a three-pointer by junior C.J. Seaforth midway through the opening half.
• The lead was short-lived as Stonehill reeled off the next 15 points, keyed by three-pointers by three different players, with Sims scoring five points to open a 14-point lead (28-14) after a Sims layup with seven minutes to go in the half.
• Jones II snapped the streak with a three-pointer, but Stonehill extended the run to 20-3 to stretch the lead to 16 points (33-17) after a layup from Mack with five minutes remaining.
• Stonehill outscored Southern 35-15 over the remainder of the half after the Owls took their lone lead of the night, extending its lead to 24 (48-24) with a Moreton triple with a minute left in the half.
• Southern scored the last five points of the half to close the gap to 19 (48-29) at the intermission and then Adams II cut the lead to 17 (48-31) with a layup on the opening possession of the second half.
• Stonehill's lead was 18 (54-36) after a layup by Urmilevicius three minutes into the half, when Southern scored 11-straight, including six by Jones II, to close back within seven (54-47) when sophomore Zack Penn split two free-throws with 12:50 still to play.
• SCSU trimmed the deficit to five (64-59) after two Jones free-throws with 8:53 left but would get no closer.
• Stonehill used a 10-2 run over the next five minutes to restore a 13-point lead (74-61) after a Mack layup with 3:15 on the clock.
• Jones pulled Southern within nine (74-65) a minute later, but a three-point play from Twitty and 7-of-8 free-throw shooting the rest of the way closed out Stonehill's fourth-straight win.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill is making its 33^rd NE10 Tournament appearance, a total that ranks third all-time in NE10 history. The Skyhawks have reached the semifinal round for the 13^th time, its first since 2016. Stonehill will host an NE10 semifinal for the first time since 2006.
• Stonehill finished shooting 59.6-percent from the field (31-for-52), including 9-for-16 (56.3%) from three-point distance, converting 15-of-18 (83.3%) free-throws. The Skyhawks connected at 60% (12-20) in the second half after burying 8-of-12 (66.7%) threes in the first.
• Chose's four three-point field goals give him 180 in 80 career games, moving into a tie for seventh in program history with Adam Bramanti, '16 (180) after passing Brian Hamor, '13 (179). Chose has also now scored 954 career points.
• Moreton has notched double-doubles in two straight games and four of five, giving him 13 for the season overall and 32 in his 113 career games.
• Moreton finished three assists shy of his first career triple double.

Up Next

Stonehill (18-10, 13-6 NE10) hosts Southwest No. 5 University of New Haven for an NE10 Semifinal at Merkert Gym on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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