Raymond posted her first double-double of the season with a season-high 26 points, including ten in the fourth quarter, and career-best 15 rebounds (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Raymond's first double-double of the season leads Skyhawks

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 25, 2020) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 6 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, built a 19 point lead early in the second half after limiting Southern Connecticut State University to just four points in the second quarter, and held on down the stretch to secure a 64-54 victory in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Moore Fieldhouse this afternoon. 

Leaders

Stonehill

Kayla Raymond Sophomore, Forward: First double-double of the season (third career) with season-high 26 points (9-for-16, 3-for-4 threes, 5-for-6 FTs) and a career-best 15 rebounds, an assist and steal.

Gabrielle Reuter Senior, Forward: 14 points (7-for-12), three rebounds.

Kelsey Shaw Senior, Guard: Nine points (7-for-7 FTs, three rebounds, two steals. 

Southern Conn. State

Alexa Kellner Freshman, Guard: 16 points (5-for-11, 4-for-8 threes), seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and blocked shot.

Imani Wheeler Senior, Guard: 15 points (6-for-15), three rebounds, two assists, four steals and a blocked shot.

Jessica Fressle Junior, Forward: 13 points, nine rebounds, two steals. 

How it Happened

• Reuter added 14 points for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

  Stonehill scored ten of the final 12 points of the game in the closing 1:36 to seal the win, converting all eight free-throws, including six by Shaw, to go with a Raymond basket with 60-minutes left, to seal the win after Southern Connecticut had battled back from a 19-point deficit early in the third quarter to draw within two (54-52) after two free-throws from senior Aaliyah Walker.
• Stonehill outscored Southern Connecticut 31-4 over the span of 15 minutes between late in the first quarter, through the opening three minutes of the third that turned an eight point deficit (12-4) with 2:47 remaining in the opening frame to a game-high 19 point cushion (35-16) after two Raymond free-throws in the third.
• Stonehill scored the final eight points of the first quarter, including four from Raymond, to pull even (12-12) heading into the second.
• Junior Jennifer Worden put Stonehill in front for good (16-14) with a layup four minutes into the second quarter and Raymond followed with a three-pointer for a five-point lead (19-14) five minutes through the frame.
• Stonehill scored the last five points of the second quarter to take an eight-point edge (24-16) into halftime after two Raymond free throws.
• Stonehill extended the run to 16-straight after netting the first 11 points of the second half to open its game-high 19-point cushion (35-16) with two Raymond free throws with 7:22 to play. Raymond and Reuter both scored four points for the Skyhawks during the opening stretch of the third quarter.
• Southern Connecticut was able to trim its deficit to 11 (43-32) by the end of the third quarter and then got back to back three-pointers from Kellner to pull within five (43-38) less than two minutes into the fourth.
• Stonehill reclaimed a nine point cushion (48-39) after a Raymond triple two minutes later, but Southern followed that by netting the next seven points to draw within two (48-46) after a Walker layup with 4:20 remaining.
• Raymond gave Stonehill a six-point lead (52-46) with 3:32 to play, when Southern closed back within two (54-52) after a pair of Walker free-throws with 1:36 left, before the Skyhawks sealed the win by scoring ten of the game's final 12 points.

Noteworthy

• Raymond posts the tenth 20-point game of her short Stonehill career, netting 20-plus for the second time this season.
• Stonehill held Southern Connecticut to just four points in the second quarter (1-for-14 from the field) to help start to take control of the game.
• Raymond and Reuter combined for 40 of Stonehill's 64 points, shooting a combined 16-for-28 (57.1-percent), with Raymond also burying 3-of-4 three-pointers, meanwhile the remainder of the team was just 5-for-25 (20%), including 1-for-11 from deep.
• Stonehill took care of business at the line, especially late again, converting 18-of-21 free throws (85.7%) for the contest, including 9-of-10 in the fourth quarter.

Up Next

Stonehill (12-5, 8-3 NE10) is right back in action on Tuesday, when it hosts American International College at Merkert Gym at 5:30 p.m. Southern Connecticut (8-11, 2-9 NE10) hosts Assumption College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

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