THE BASICS:
- Score: Saint Rose 82, Assumption 75
- Record: Assumption (6-13, 2-10 NE10), Saint Rose (8-11, 5-7 NE10)
- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Laska Gym)
- The Lead: Assumption trailed by seven points at the half and closed within three points on multiple occasions throughout the final 20 minutes, but the Hounds could never draw even as Saint Rose held on for an 82-75 victory on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Assumption jumped out to an 8-6 lead in the first three minutes on Matthew Kelly (North Potomac, Md. / Quince Orchard) triple. The Hounds pushed their lead to 15-12 on a 5-0 run with layup by Michael Speight (Morningside, Md. / Wise / Canterbury) at 12:32. Saint Rose evened the score up at 18 apiece midway through the period.
- The teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, before five straight by Saint Rose gave them a 28-23 lead with 5:40 remaining. A 9-3 run by Assumption, capped off by a Cal Connelly (Rochester, N.H. / Spaulding / Tilton) three-pointer from the wing put the Hounds in front 32-31. The Golden Knights responded with the next nine points for a 40-32 advantage. Assumption closed the gap to 42-38 in the final ten seconds, but a deep three gave the visitors a 45-38 lead at the break.
- Saint Rose extended its lead to eight points early in the second, before a run by the Hounds trimmed it to just three, 50-47 at 15:36. The two teams went back-and-forth over the next six minutes, with a layup by a Damien Rance (Melbourne, Australia / Pope John XXIII) making it a three-point contest once again, 59-56, with 9:49 left.
- The Golden Knights stretched their lead to nine points multiple times over the next six minutes and pushed it to 11, 74-63, with just 1:22 remaining. A Bryan Boehlert (Gaithersburg, Md. / Magruder) triple and Kelly jumper closed the game to just 74-68 15 seconds later. Kelly stole the ball on the ensuing inbound and was fouled. He connected one of two free throws to trim it to 74-69. However, Saint Rose made all eight of its free throws in the final minute to escape with an 82-75 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Assumption shot 48.3 percent from the floor and was an impressive 14-for-29 from downtown, but Saint Rose made 54.2 percent of its field goal attempts. The Golden Knights went 6-for-22 from downtown and 12-for-14 from the charity stripe while outrebounding the Hounds 36-26.
- Kelly once again led the offense, dropping in 26 points with seven assists and four steals. Rance was the only other scorer in double figures, registering 11 points and seven rebounds. Patrick Fleming (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. / Iona Prep) chipped in nine points, four rebounds and four assists while Boehlert added eight points off the bench.
- Adam Anderson paced the Golden Knights with 21 points and three assists while Sekou Sylla added 11 points and 12 boards. Shane Herrity chipped in 17 points and four rebounds.
UP NEXT:
- Assumption returns to action on Tuesday when the team hosts Southern Connecticut State at 7:30 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED:
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