THE BASICS:
- Score: Saint Michael 76, Assumption 67
- Record: Saint Michael's (18-4, 14-3 NE10), Assumption (6-19, 2-16 NE10),
- Location: Colchester, Vt. (Ross Sports Center)
- The Lead: Assumption led by one point at the half and held a 62-61 lead late in the second, however, St. Michael's finished the game on a 16-5 run to earn a 76-67 victory on Saturday afternoon in conference action.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Hounds fell behind early, though a triple by Cal Connelly (Rochester, N.H. / Spaulding / Tilton) and Damien Rance (Melbourne, Australia / Pope John XXIII / San Francisco State) three-point play gave them an 11-6 advantage at 15:35. St. Michael's answered with a 10-2 run for a 16-13 lead and then pushed its lead to 26-18 with 8:03 left in the first half.
- Chris Crespo (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) cut the deficit to 26-21, but the Purple Knights extended the lead to 33-26 with 5:56 remaining. Saint Michael's stretched the score to 39-29 with 3:40 left. Connelly jumpstarted a late run with another three and Assumption scored the final 11 points of the half to go into the break holding a 40-39 advantage.
- The teams traded baskets over the first four minutes of the second half, until a St. Michael's run gave the home team a 54-47 lead with 13:19 remaining. Four straight free throws from Michael Speight (Morningside, Md. / Wise / Canterbury) cut it to just 56-53 midway through the period. Bryan Boehlert (Gaithersburg, Md. / Magruder) tied up the game at 56 apiece with a triple, but St. Michael's countered with one of its own on the next possession for a three-point lead.
- Trailing 61-58, Assumption scored four straight to grab a 62-61 lead with 6:36 left. The Purple Knights pulled in front, but Matthew Kelly (North Potomac, Md. / Quince Orchard) tied it up again on a layup at 4:44. St. Michael's held the Hounds scoreless for the next four minutes while scoring six straight points to take the lead for good on the way to a nine-point victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Assumption shot 38.6 percent from the floor and was only 8 of 32 downtown, though the Hounds did make 15 of 17 free throws. St. Michael's shot 46.2 percent overall, including 6-for-14 from beyond the arc while making 22 of 29 free throws. The Purple Knights held a 35-33 rebounding edge.
- Kelly led Assumption with 19 points and four rebounds, while Speight added 14 with two blocks. Rance was in double figures with 12 points and seven boards as Patrick Fleming (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. / Iona Prep) chipped in two points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
- Levi Holmes III led Saint Michael's with 29 points and six rebounds while Eli EiGrande came through with 15 points and six boards.
UP NEXT:
- Assumption returns to action on Wednesday, when the team hosts Franklin Pierce at 7:30 p.m. in Laska Gym.
STAY CONNECTED:
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