Box Score NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team shot the lights out in the first half on its way to a 94-78 conference win over Stonehill on Saturday afternoon. The Owls went on a 25-0 run in the first half while shooting 60-percent (20-of-33) from the field and 60-percent (6-of-10) from three-point range.
With the win, Southern improves to 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the Northeast-10 while Stonehill falls to 11-4 and 6-3 in the conference. The Owls remain a game up on Adelphi in the conference standings after the Panthers beat Saint Michael's this afternoon.
Stonehill scored off the opening tip and extend its lead to as much as six points midway through the first half. Then, from 10:55 to 4:18, Southern went on a 25-0 run going 10-of-11 from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range. That run was part of a 32-2 run that was capped off with two
Joey Wallace (Rochester, N.Y.) free throws. Wallace led the scoring during the 25-0 run with eight points, while
Desmond Williams (Torrington, Conn.) and
Isaiah McLeod (Cambridge, Mass.) chipped in with six and five, respectively.
Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) and
Jack McCarthy (Wallingford, Conn.) had three points, each, during the run.
Wallace finished with 12 points on an efficient 6-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. He also added six rebounds.
Desmond Williams led all players with a season high 30 points and 13 boards, his seventh double-double of the year. Mallory was right behind him with 24 points (five three-pointers) and seven rebounds.
In addition to playing nearly flawless basketball on offense, Southern played tremendous defense during the six-and-a-half minute stretch, forcing Stonehill to go 0-of-8 from the field and commit six turnovers. The massive run allowed the Owls some leeway in the second half.
The Skyhawks shot a respectable 43-percent in the second frame, including 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, but it was not nearly enough as the Owls maintained a double digit lead for the rest of the game. Williams and Mallory closed out the second half with 16 points each as the Owls shot 44-percent from the field. Southern also forced Stonehill into 19 total turnovers, including eight in the second half.
Stonehill's Ryan Logan, who came into the game ranked in the top five in both scoring and rebounding in the conference, was held under his season averages in both categories. He averaged 19.5 points and 9.4 rebounds before the game, but finished with 17 points and four boards. Daniel Brix was the leading scorer for the Skyhawks with 22 points, including going 10-of-11 from the free throw line. The Owls focused their defensive efforts on Logan and Carter Smith, the team's second leading scorer who had four turnovers, which opened up more opportunities for Brix.
Southern Connecticut returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Merrimack for a game at 3:30 p.m.
