Sims posted his first double-double of the season tonight (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

Spartans ride 48-percent second half shooting in defensive battle

EASTON, Mass. (December 1, 2021) – Saint Thomas Aquinas College, ranked No. 5 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, shot 48-percent in the second half to overcome a seven-point deficit and pick up a 63-49 victory over Stonehill College, ranked No. 24 in this week's D2SIDA Top 25 poll and among teams receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, in a non-conference men's basketball matchup on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight. 

Leaders

Stonehill
Andrew Sims Senior, Forward: Double-double with a game-high 13 points and ten rebounds
Isaiah Burnett Senior, Guard: 10 points, six rebounds, four steals.
Josh Mack Senior, Guard: 8 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. 

St. Thomas Aquinas
Sean Moore Freshman, Guard: Double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, with two steals.
Demetre Roberts Senior, Guard: 12 points two rebounds. 

How it Happened

• Mack chipped in with eight points, five boards, four assists, two steals and a block. (PHOTO BY Mary Gettens)

  Saint Thomas Aquinas shot 48-percent from the floor in the second half (12-for-25), while Stonehill connected at just 31% (9-for-29), to rally from a pair of six-point deficits early in the second half, before erasing a five-point deficit with 8:40 to play after trailing by as much as seven (23-16) late in the first half.
• Stonehill grabbed its game-high lead after a three-pointer from Burnett before STAC drew within four (25-21) at the break.
• Sims scored the first basket of the second half and then two free-throws 2:17 into the frame had the Stonehill lead at six (29-23) for a second time.
• STAC followed with the next seven points to take its first lead of the night (30-29) after a layup from senior Grant Singleton five minutes into the half, stretching the advantage to a game-high four (33-29) with a three-pointer from sophomore Jamal Barnes 30-seconds later.
• Stonehill scored seven-straight to reclaim the lead (38-35) with 11:50 to play, keyed by two Burnett three-pointers.
• Stonehill stretched the lead to five (42-37) with a put back inside by senior Myles Hanson with 8:40 remaining. The Skyhawks were still up three (45-42) after a tip-in my freshman Christopher Melis with six minutes to play, when STAC grabbed the lead for good with seven-straight points, the last four points from Roberts, to take a two-possession lead (49-45) with 1:49 to go.
• STAC was unable to ice the game at the line, though, and Stonehill had two looks to tie it in the last minute, but was unable to convert.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill, ranked No. 2 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, saw its win streak halted at five games with its first home loss of the season (3-1).
• Stonehill was limited to a season-low point total and under 50 points for the first time since a 72-40 setback at Southern New Hampshire University on February 9, 2019.
• Stonehill shot a season-low 31.6-percent from the field, shooting under 40% for just the second time this season, but held its fourth-straight opponent under 60 points and fifth this season overall.
• Sims posted his first double-double of the year (fifth career) with his season-high ten rebounds. He has scored in double figures in all eight games this season.
• STAC rebounded from 28.6-percent (8-for-28) shooting in the first half, including 2-for-11 from three (18.2%), to shoot 48% in the second half.

Up Next

Stonehill (6-2, 2-0 NE10) is back in action on Sunday, when it visits Saint Anselm College for a Northeast-10 Conference matchup at 3:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym to close out the semester schedule with an NE10 matchup with Assumption University on Monday, December 20, at 3 p.m. STAC (5-3, 0-0 ECC) hosts Bloomfield College on Saturday at 3 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.