Morast's Three Pointer With 1.1 Seconds Remaining Caps Furious Second Half Comeback And Lifts 15th-Ranked Women's Basketball To 57-55 Northeast-10 Triumph Over Bentley

December 9, 2006

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, December 9, 2006

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL: STONEHILL 57, BENTLEY 55

EASTON, Mass.-- Senior Kim Morast's (Bridgewater, Mass.) three-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining capped a furious second half comeback and lifted 15th-ranked Stonehill to a 57-55 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball victory over Bentley Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.

The host Skyhawks (8-2, 4-2 Northeast-10) trailed by 17 points (41-24) with 16:22 remaining in the contest before using a 17-4 run over an 8:16 stretch to close back to within four points (45-41) on a Morast lay-in with 8:06 to play. The visiting Falcons (5-3, 3-3 Northeast-10) extended their edge back to six on three occasions, the last coming with 4:29 remaining at 53-47 on a lay-in by senior Lauren Moore (Nashua, N.H.), but Stonehill used five quick points to close to within one on a three-pointer by senior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) with 3:33 to play. A lay-in by sophomore Kristy McLean (Staten Island, N.Y.) with 2:09 left extended Bentley's lead to three (55-52) before a Morast jumper on the ensuing possession cut that margin back to one. The Skyhawks had a pair of chances to take the lead, including a missed lay-in with 12 seconds to play, but freshman Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y.) stole a Falcon inbounds pass with 7.6 remaining, feeding Morast in the corner for her game-winning three-pointer to cap the Stonehill comeback.

Bentley shot 54 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes of action to take a 34-24 lead at the break, and Stonehill, after shooting just 29 percent from the floor in the first half, missed its first 12 field goal attempts following intermission, enabling the Falcons to build their 17-point edge. The Skyhawks shot 53 percent from the field in the final 12-plus minutes of action, including three key three-pointers from Methven as well as Morast's game-winner.

Collins led four players in double figures with 16 points and eight rebounds in the triumph for Stonehill, which also received 12 points (on four three-pointers) from Methven and 10 points each from Morast and senior Tiffany Huggins (Stoughton, Mass.), who dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds. The Skyhawks shot just 31 percent from the field overall but connected on seven three-pointers and committed just eight turnovers on the afternoon.

Freshman Colette Josey (Framingham, Mass.) led the way for Bentley by notching a career-best double-double effort of 18 points and 13 rebounds, including 16 points in the first half that in one stretch saw her score 14 straight for the visitors. Moore added 13 points in the setback for the Falcons, who also received eight points from McLean as Bentley shot 47 percent from the field and held a 42-34 rebounding advantage but hurt itself with 21 turnovers that resulted in 16 Skyhawk points.

Stonehill hosts Bryant in a Northeast-10 outing on Wednesday evening at Merkert Gymnasium beginning at 5:30 p.m., while Bentley heads to North Andover, Mass. on Monday evening to take on Merrimack in a Northeast-10 contest that also begins at 5:30 p.m.