Sims paced the Skyhawks with 23 points, draining 13-of-14 free-throws on the night (PHOTO BY Saylor Murphy)

Hot-shooting Powell paces Setters as Skyhawks held to 34% shooting

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (January 19, 2022) – Pace University, ranked No. 9 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, grabbed a quick double-digit lead in the first half and answered a second half rally from Stonehill College, ranked No. 7, to secure a 78-66 victory in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Goldstein Athletic Center tonight. 

Leaders

Stonehill
Andrew Sims Senior, Forward: 23 points (13-for-14 FTs), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, blocked shot.
Emmanuel Bonsu Sophomore, Guard: Career-high 13 points (3-for-4, 1-for-1 threes, 6-for-10 FTs), 4 rebounds, 3 steals.
Isaiah Burnett Senior, Guard: 11 points (4-for-9), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocked shots. 

Pace
Bryan Powell Junior, Forward: 25 points (10-for-13, 3-for-3 threes), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.
Christian Adams Junior, Forward: 13 points (5-for-7), 2 rebounds, 3 blocked shots.
Brandon Powell Junior, Guard: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals.
Brandon Jacobs Postgrad, Guard: 11 assists, 6 points, 5 rebounds. 

How it Happened

• Bonsu netted a career-high 13 points for the Skyhawks

  Pace grabbed an 11-point lead (13-2) less then five minutes into the game, responding to the opening basket from Sims with 13-straight points.
• Stonehill was back within eight (15-7) after a turnaround jumper by freshman Christopher Melis two minutes later, but an 11-0 Pace run extended the lead to 19 (28-9) after a three-pointer from postgrad Austin Gilbertson followed back-to-back triples by Bryan Powell.
• Pace carried a 17-point lead (40-23) into halftime after Stonehill finished shooting 21.4-percent (6-for-28) from the floor, including 0-for-9 from deep, while the Setters cashed in on 50% (15-30) shooting, including 6-of-13 (46.2%) from three.
• Trailing by 15 (46-31) four minutes into the second half, Stonehill scored eight straight, sparked by a three-point play from Sims, to close back within seven (46-39) after two free-throws from fifth-year Owen Chose with 11:33 remaining.
• Stonehill trimmed the deficit to six (48-42) 30-seconds later with two Sims free-throws, but Adams scored five-straight for Pace to push the lead back into double-digits (53-42) with 10:22 remaining.
• Stonehill was back within nine (53-44) with a Chose jumper with 9:36 still to go, but the rally stopped there as Pace reeled off a 14-2 run over the next three minutes to extend the lead to 21 (67-46) after back-to-back Gilbertson threes followed a conventional three-point play by Bryan Powell.
• Pace's lead would extend to a game-high 26 (76-50) with four minutes to go following four-straight points from Powell, which was more than enough cover for a 16-2 closing run by Stonehill, including eight points from Bonsu, that produced the final margin.

Noteworthy

• Sims posted his second-straight 20-point outing (sixth career) and third this season overall, with his tenth double-figure scoring game of the season (22 career).
• Bonsu's career-best scoring night marked the first double-figure scoring game of his collegiate career.
• Burnett returned to the court for the first time since December 20 and came off the bench to post his ninth double-figure scoring game of the year.
• Stonehill finished 1-for-12 from three-point range, missing its first 11 before a late triple from Bonsu on the Skyhawks closing run.
• The Skyhawks recovered in the shooting department slightly in the second half, connecting at 48% (12-for-25) from the floor to finish at 34% (18-53) for the contest, compared to 49.2% (30-61) for Pace, including 11-for-24 (45.8%) from deep.
• Stonehill did outscore Pace 29-7 at the free-throw line for the night, converting 29-of-36 (80.6%) from the stripe.
• Jacob's 11 assists for Pace were two more than Stonehill finished with as a team.

Up Next

Stonehill (9-7, 5-5 NE10) is next scheduled to return to Merkert Gymnasium on Saturday to host Southern Connecticut State University for an NE10 matchup at 3:30 p.m. Pace (10-5, 6-2 NE10) hosts Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

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