THE BASICS:
- Score: Assumption 66, Southern New Hampshire 60
- Record: Assumption (8-20, 4-17 NE10), Southern New Hampshire (12-14, 8-13 NE10)
- Location: Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
- The Lead: Sophomore Matthew Kelly (North Potomac, Md. / Quince Orchard) put up 16 second-half points and helped Assumption outscore Southern New Hampshire 12-5 over the final four minutes of regulation to earn a 66-60 victory on the road Tuesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- SNHU jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the opening minute, before a 7-2 run by the Hounds evened the score at nine apiece on a layup by Kelly. The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, with another Kelly layup providing a 15-14 advantage at 12:13. Two free throws from Malik Brown (Waldorf, Md. / Northpoint) made it a 17-16 lead with 10:45 left.
- The teams went back-and-forth over the next five minutes, and a hoop from Cal Connelly (Rochester, N.H. / Spaulding / Tilton) gave Assumption a 25-23 lead. The Hounds led 29-27 on a Nick Pasquale (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Worcester Academy) hook shot with 2:59 remaining in the period, however, the Penmen finished the half on a 7-0 run to grab a 34-29 advantage going into the break.
- Assumption opened the second half on an 8-2 run, capped off by a triple from Kelly to take a 37-36 lead at 17:41. Damien Rance (Melbourne, Australia / Pope John XXIII / San Francisco State) made it a 41-38 contest four minutes later, though the teams went back-and-forth and Brown connected on a pair of free throws for a 49-48 lead at 8:36.
- The lead traded hands five times over the following four minutes. With Assumption trailing 55-54, Michael Speight (Morningside, Md. / Wise / Canterbury) drilled a three for the 57-55 lead with 3:37 left. Brown converted a layup on the team's next trip and after a quick SNHU answer, Connelly, connected on a deep triple to push the lead to 62-57 with just 45 seconds left. The Penmen failed to make another field goal and Kelly hit four free throws to ice the game and provide the 66-60 final.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Assumption shot 49.1 percent from the floor and made just 5 of 21 three-point attempts, but did convert on 9 of 11 free throws and outrebounded SNHU 39-34. The Penmen shot just 36.9 percent overall and were a dismal 2-for-19 from beyond the arc.
- Kelly scored a team-high 24 points with three assists and two rebounds while Brown provided ten points and four rebounds off the bench. Rance added eight points, nine rebounds and four assists while Pasquale concluded his career with four points, three blocks and a pair of rebounds.
- Eamonn Joyce paced SNHU with 14 points and three rebounds while Shawn Montague added nine points, ten rebounds and four steals.
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