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The Game
Stonehill College closes out its non-conference schedule by hosting Queens (N.Y.) College on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon. The Skyhawks are looking to head into its inaugural Northeast Conference schedule on a winning note, having dropped their last two by an average margin of six points after a hard-fought 75-64 setback to Northeastern University here last Tuesday in the middle game of a season-high matching three game homestand, while the Knights have been idle since an 81-76 triple-overtime setback to No. 10 Assumption University in Flushing, New York, on December 17.

Media Information
Today's game will be broadcast live via SkyhawksVision on NEC Front Row. The broadcast can be accessed via stonehillskyhawks.com through its NEC Front Row portal (necfrontrow.com/schools/SC) or through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku via the NEC On the Run App.

Last Time Out
Northeastern wrapped a 20-4 run between the third and fourth quarters to take control of a back-and-forth game and claimed a 75-64 victory over Stonehill on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium. Sophomore Asha Parker led a balanced Northeastern effort with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting with a game-high nine rebounds (six offensive). Four players in all reached double-figures for the Huskies who finished shooting 50-percent (35-for-70), despite a 1-for-12 night from three, with six scoring at least eight points. Senior Mia Kelly (South Hadley, Mass.) and fifth-year Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) combined for 39 points to lead Stonehill. Kelly scored a season-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three, with a season-high matching six rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot and steal. Bramanti reached double-figures for the sixth-straight game, with 19 points, connecting on 5-of-7 threes, with four assists and three boards. In a game that featured five ties and 17 lead changes, including three and 11 in the first half alone, neither team led by more than six in the first half. Northeastern outscored Stonehill 16-4 over the final 6:42 of the third quarter to open a double-figure lead (58-48) heading to the fourth.

Against the Knights
This afternoon marks just the second meeting all-time between the two programs. Stonehill won the only prior meeting with an 80-66 triumph over Queens in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Division II East Regional, hosted by Adelphi University, in Garden City, New York. The two teams were scheduled to play here at Merkert Gym last season, but the game was cancelled due to health and safety protocols. The Skyhawks would go on to reach the East Regional championship three days later in Garden City, before being edged by New Haven 58-57.

Last Time They Met
No. 13 Stonehill pulled away in the second half to post an 80-66 victory over Queens in first round action of the 2015 NCAA Division II East Regional at Adelphi's Center for Recreation and Sports on March 13, 2015. Kelly Martin scored 14 of her 17 points in the second half as Stonehill pulled away for the win, adding seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. Shannon Brown made all seven of her shots from the field, including three three-pointers, for a season-high 18 points in 25 minutes off the bench, adding six rebounds and two assists. Madison Rowland led Queens with 21 points, ten rebounds, four assists and five steals. Stonehill shot 68.2-percent (15-for-22) in the second half to break open a nine point halftime lead to as much as a 19 point cushion in the second half.

There's No Place Like Home
Stonehill is playing five of its 13 non-conference games at Merkert Gymnasium, including a run of three-straight in late December to head directly into its inaugural NEC schedule, of which two of its first three will also be at home. After hosting Buffalo in its inaugural Division I home game, Hartford on November 21, UAlbany on December 14, and Northeastern last week, and Queens (N.Y.) closes out the 2022 calendar year for the Skyhawks this afternoon.

Home Cookin'
Everyone loves some home cooking around the holidays and the Skyhawks are no different. Today's wrap of a three-game homestand intertwined around the holidays is part of just a larger stretch of five of six at Merkert Gymnasium, in which two of Stonehill's first three Northeast Conference games will be played on Paula Sullivan Court starting with Saint Francis (Pa.) University next Friday, January 6 (6 p.m.) and Sacred Heart University on Sunday, Janury 8 (2 p.m.) after visiting Central Connecticut State University for its NEC opener on Monday at 4 p.m.

Sunshine Daydream
Stonehill has split its four games this season with afternoon tip-offs, compared to a 1-7 mark in its games starting at 6 p.m., or later.

Kelly

Bramanti

Prime Performers
Fifth-year Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior Mia Kelly (South Hadley, Mass.) were both named to the Northeast Conference's Prime Performer list on Monday for their efforts in Stonehill's lone game of the week against Northeastern University last Tuesday. Bramanti earns the recognition for the fourth-straight week after scoring in double figures for the sixth-straight game with 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range, four assists and three rebounds. Kelly earns her second selection after posting Stonehill's second 20-plus point game of the season with a season-high 20 points, six rebounds, two assists, one block and a steal, going 7-of-10 from the field, 3-of-5 from long range and 3-for-4 from the free throw line. Bramanti and Kelly are the only two Skyhawks with multiple NEC Prime Performers so far this season, with Bramanti leading the team with four to go with Kelly's pair. Postgrad Maddie Loder (Independence, Minn.) earned the recognition after the opening week of the season, while fifth-year Sophie Glidden (Scarborough, Maine) rounds out the Skyhawks with the honors to this point.
NEC Prime Performers:
Nov. 14: Maddie Loder
Nov. 28: Sophie Glidden
Dec. 5: Emily Bramanti & Mia Kelly
Dec. 12: Emily Bramanti
Dec. 19: Emily Bramanti
Dec. 26: Emily Bramanti & Mia Kelly

Taking Care of Business
Stonehill has won 16 of its last 20 home games against non-conference opposition, including two NCAA Tournament wins against Saint Thomas Aquinas and USciences during the 2018 NCAA East Regional, and has posted a 24-5 record against non-conference opposition at Merkert Gym dating back to 2005.

There Are Seven Days in the Week
Stonehill has played at least one game on each of seven days of the week after its Tuesday night matchup with Northeastern on December 20. The Skyhawks are 1-7 during its weekday games this season, dropping its lone Thursday game (at Holy Cross) while posting a combined 2-2 mark on the weekend.

Into Double-Figures
Fifth-year guard Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) ranks fifth on the NEC's scoring chart, averaging a team-high 13.3 points per game as the lone Skyhawk scoring in double-figures. She ranks eighth in the NEC with her .412 shooting percentage, including 41.4% (29-for-70) from three to rank second in the Conference, with a league-best 2.4 three-pointers per game.

Everything's Sixes
Stonehill fifth-year Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) has scored in double-figures in six straight games heading into this afternoon's contest. She is averaging 18.8 points on 50-percent shooting (39-for-78) during that span, including a white-hot 57.9% (22-38) from three-point distance. She is also contributing 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during this stretch.

Offense Improving
Stonehill has won three of its last eight games, showing offensive improvement highlighted by a season-high 81 points at Bryant which marks the second-highest point total in the NEC this season. The Skyhawks are shooting 40.7-percent from the field over the last six games, averaging 61.5 points per game in that span. The Skyhawks have connected on 38.9% (44-for-113) of their three-pointers during this stretch.

Glidden Paints the Glass
Fifth-year Sophie Glidden (Scarborough, Maine) ranks second among NEC rebounding leaders with her team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. She pulled down 12 boards in each of Stonehill's first two games at Lehigh and Providence and grabbed her first career double-double with 14 points and ten boards against Hartford. She ranks fourth in the NEC with 2.1 offensive boards per game to go with 5.3 defensive rebounds to rank second in the Conference.

In Transition
Stonehill announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference and commence a four-year transition to full NCAA Division I membership on April 5. The Skyhawks started their four-year transition on July 1 and will earn full NCAA Division I membership in 2026-27. At the June NEC meetings, the Conference presidents announced a shift in the waiting period for automatic qualifier sports from competing for NEC postseason championships from four to two years, making Stonehill eligible to compete in the NEC postseason starting in 2024-25.

Getting Social
Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics have multiple social media outlets to get updates on all 21 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @GoStonehill on Twitter and @stonehillskyhawks via Instagram!  Stonehill women's basketball is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StonehillCollegeWomensBasketball, Twitter and Instagram by following @stonehillwbb. You can even follow head coach Trisha Brown on Twitter via @CoachTB_SC.

Up Next
Stonehill returns to action after the New Year when it opens its inaugural Northeast Conference schedule at Central Connecticut State University on Monday, January 2, at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks next home game is next Friday, January 6, when it hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) University for an NEC clash here at Merkert Gym at 6 p.m.