Burnett totaled 13 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Ryan Fenney/Providence Athletics)

Benigni leads four Skyhawks in double figures with 15 points

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (October 21, 2021) – Providence College shot 63.3-percent from the floor, including 70% in the second half to pull away from Stonehill College in a preseason men's basketball exhibition at the Dunkin' Donuts Center tonight. 

Leaders

Stonehill
Jackson Benigni Sophomore, Guard: Team-high 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting off the bench, a team-high four rebounds, an assist and steal
Isaiah Burnett Senior, Guard: 13 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals
Andrew Sims Senior, Forward: 12 points (2-for-2 from three)
Myles Hanson Senior, Forward: 11 points, two rebounds, two steals 

Providence
Nate Watson Postgrad, Center: Game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks
Alyn Breed Sophomore, Guard: 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three-point range, two rebounds, three assists
Al Durham Postgrad, Guard: 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, a block and steal

Benigni led the Skyhawks with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and four rebounds (PHOTO BY Ryan Fenney/Providence Athletics)

How it Happened

• Providence held an eight-point halftime lead (42-34) before breaking the game open behind 70-percent (21-for-30) shooting over the final 20 minutes, including 3-for-6 from three-point distance.
• Stonehill hung in the game over the opening 20-minute thanks to 6-for-12 shooting (50%) from three-point distance in the first half, before connecting at 25% (2-for-8) in the second.
• Providence never trailed in the contest, with senior AJ Reeves scoring the opening bucket on the Friars first possession, and then adding a bucket in the paint from postgrad Noah Horchler before Burnett scored Stonehill's first basket over two minutes into the game.
• Watson stretched the Friars lead to five (7-2) with a three-point play and the game was never tied or had any lead changes.
• Stonehill closed the gap to two (9-7) after a three-pointer from Hanson five minutes into the game.
• Stonehill was within a point (13-12) after a Burnett turnaround in the paint with 13 minutes remaining in the half.
• Providence followed with nine straight points to open a ten-point cushion after a layup from junior Bryson Goodine with 11:25 remaining in the half.
• The Providence lead stretched to 15 (34-19) after a fast break layup from postgrad Justin Minaya with 6:53 to play in the first half.
• Stonehill responded with a 13-4 run over the next five minutes to close the gap to six (38-32) after a Benigni layup with 1:30 left in the half.
• Providence was able to carry an eight-point lead (42-34) into halftime and then scored eight of the first nine points in the second half to claim a 15-point cushion (50-35).
• Stonehill pulled back within nine on two occasions, the first after a three-pointer from Sims three minutes into the half, but Providence emerged from the first media timeout of the half and opened a 20-point lead (65-45) heading into the second media timeout of the half and didn't look back.

Noteworthy

• Tonight marks the second straight season Stonehill has competed against alum and Athletic Hall of Famer Ed Cooley's '94 Providence teams in a preseason exhibition and the fourth time over the last seven years. The Skyhawk even have an exhibition win over a Cooley-led Fairfield University (61-60) team in 2010.
• Stonehill has been picked third for the Northeast Division in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason coaches poll released today. The Skyhawks received 63 points in the poll, with Saint Anselm College picked first in the Northeast with 91 points and 13 first place votes, while Bentley University is second with 70 points and the remaining first place vote. Adelphi University has been selected to win the Southwest Division with 78 points and six first place votes.
• Stonehill fifth-year guard Owen Chose enters the season just 18 points shy of becoming the program's 42^nd 1,000-point scorer.
• Albeit an exhibition, tonight marks Stonehill's first game since the 2020 NE10 Tournament semifinal against the University of New Haven on March 4, 2020, a triple-overtime thriller at Merkert Gymnasium – 596 days ago.
• Stonehill had just three players on the court tonight that played in that NE10 semifinal on March 4, 2020.

Up Next

Stonehill is scheduled to open its 2021-22 season at the Caldwell Tip-Off Classic in New Jersey on Friday, November 12, against Bloomfield College at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks home opener is slated for Wednesday, November 17, against the University of Bridgeport at 7 p.m. Providence hosts Fairfield University for its season-opener on Tuesday, November 9, at the Dunkin' Donuts Center at 7 p.m.

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