Burnett scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, filling out the boxscore with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Cohen's 18 leads Red Flash, including two free-throws with five seconds to play to cap late rally

LORETTO, Pa. (December 31, 2022) – Junior forward Josh Cohen drained two free-throws with five seconds on the clock to cap a Saint Francis University comeback from an eight-point deficit with five minutes to play in a 73-72 triumph over Stonehill College in Northeast Conference men's basketball action at DeGol Arena this afternoon.

Cohen's clutch free-throws capped an 18-point game for the NEC scoring leader on 6-of-10 shooting, finishing 6-for-9 from the free-throw line, to go with nine rebounds and three assists as the 6-10 forward drew ten fouls while battling his own foul troubles in the second half. The two winning free-throw were in contrast for a Stonehill team that entered the game leading the NEC by shooting 77.8-percent at the line after leading the entire country a month ago, as the Skyhawks will rue seven misses at the line in the second half, including three in the closing 92-seconds.

Freshman Landon Moore added 15 points for Saint Francis, all of which came in the final 5:28, with four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Junior Maxwell Land contributed 13 points, aided by 3-for-5 shooting from three-point range, and six rebounds, while senior Marlon Hargis chipped in ten points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-3 from deep, off the bench, with four boards.

Fifth-year guard Isaiah Burnett led three from Stonehill in double-figures by scoring 15 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, on 7-of-16 shooting, including 3-for-9 from three, while converting 8-of-9 free-throws, with seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Classmate Andrew Sims added 18 points, including ten after halftime, on 7-of-13 shooting, while postgrad Max Zegarowski followed with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, four rebounds and two assists.

Sims tallied 18 points for his 14th double-figure game in 15 games this season (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Stonehill's nine-point lead (61-52) after a second-chance Burnett layup with seven minutes to play matched the largest lead of the game by Saint Francis in a game that included seven ties and 13 lead changes, including four and nine in a first half in which neither team led by more than the Red Flash's six-point (39-22) halftime advantage.

Burnett added a three-pointer to give Stonehill an eight-point lead (64-56) with 5:08 to go and then Zegarowski connected with his fifth triple of the day with 3:54 left for a seven-point Skyhawks cushion (67-60). The Skyhawks were able to answer Saint Francis until Moore buried a three with 1:18 on the clock to pull the Red Flash within a point (70-69) after the visitors split two free-throws at the other end. Burnett scored a drive inside with 56-seconds to go, but Moore answered that with a quick layup at the other end.

Saint Francis opted to foul, but Sims missed both tries with 16-seconds remaining and Cohen drew his tenth foul of the afternoon for the chance at the winning free-throws. He drained both and Stonehill had one last chance. The Skyhawks advanced the ball past midcourt and called timeout, but was unable to get a clean look at a third game winner this season in the closing seconds.

Saint Francis grabbed its game-high nine-point lead (42-33) after a layup from freshman Cam Gregory 1:15 into the second half. Stonehill answered with a 15-3 run to grab the lead (48-45) after a Zegarowski three-pointer four minutes later. The Red Flash reclaimed the lead (50-48) on a jumper from junior Luke Ruggery with 12:38 remaining, but the Skyhawks reeled off a 13-2 run, keyed by seven Burnett points, for their nine-point lead (61-52) after the Burnett layup with seven minutes to play.

Coach's Corner

"That was a really good basketball game and one where we certainly had our opportunities to put the game away, but unfortunately just weren't able to," said Stonehill head coach Chris Kraus '06. "We talk about competing and playing with effort for 40-minutes and that's what it took tonight, and give credit to Saint Francis for playing right to the finish. I'm proud of our group and how we played, and I think with these opening two NEC games we've shown a lot of people that we belong and are a very competitive team in this league."

Noteworthy

• Stonehill and Saint Francis were meeting for the first time and the Red Flash, picked third in the NEC preseason coaches poll, sits as the lone 2-0 team in the Conference after the first weekend of games.
• The game was a matchup of two of the top offensive teams in the NEC through the first two months of the season, with Saint Francis scoring 74.1 points per game (2^nd) NEC on a league-best 45.6% shooting, including an NEC-high 37.7%) from deep, entering the game, while Stonehill was third in scoring (70.2 ppg) and second in field goal percentage (.456) and three-point percentage (.357).
• The game also pitted two of the top four individual scorers in the NEC against each other in Cohen (22.2 ppg – 1^st NEC) and Sims (16.1 ppg – 4^th).
• Burnett posts his second 20-point outing of the season (fifth career), scoring in double-figures for the 12^th time (27^th career).
• Burnett, the NEC leader in steals with 2.9 per game, finished with multiple steals for the ninth-straight game, giving him at least one steal in 22-straight games dating back to last season.
• Sims scored in double-figures for the 14^th time in 15 games played this season, giving him 959 points in 88 career games played on his march to become Stonehill's 43^rd 1,000-point scorer with the 43^rd double-figure scoring game of his career.
• Stonehill finished shooting 47.1-percent from the floor, including 53.8% (14-for-26) in the second half, but finished just 14-for-22 (63.6%) at the free-throw line, including 6-for-13 (46.2%) in the second half.
• Stonehill turned the ball over a season-low eight times, but Saint Francis held a 37-23 rebounding advantage, limiting the Skyhawks to just two boards on the offensive glass.
• Zegarowski's five three-pointers mark the fourth time he has connected on four-plus threes this season (16^th career).

Up Next

Stonehill (5-11, 1-1 NEC) returns to action on Thursday when it opens a season-long four game home stand with an NEC matchup with Wagner College at Merkert Gymnasium at 7 p.m. Saint Francis (5-10, 2-0 NEC) has a week off before visiting Wagner next Saturday, January 7, at 4 p.m.

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