BOX SCORE

When and Where: November 14, 2015 – Bridgeport, Conn. (Hubbell Gymnasium)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 93, University of Bridgeport 81
Records: SNHU 1-0, Bridgeport 0-1

Senior Rodney Sanders (Linden, N.J.) poured in 32 points, including 18 in the first half, to lead the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team to a 93-81 win against the University of Bridgeport in the season opener at the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic on Saturday evening at Hubbell Gymnasium.

Sanders shot an efficient 12-for-15 from the floor, including 4-for-6 from long distance, and 4-for-5 from the line, while tallying eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Junior Chris Walters (Stamford, Conn.) registered 14 points (3-8 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 7-8 FT), four rebounds and four assists, while freshman Daquaise Andrews (Queens, N.Y.) posted 14 points (4-9 FG, 6-6 FT), nine rebounds and four assists. Junior Devin Gilligan (Amherst, N.H.) notched a double-double of 13 points (4-11 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 3-8 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Junior Adrian Oliveira (Pawtucket, R.I.) was also in double figures with 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 2-3 FT), while collecting three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Ernest Rouse paced Bridgeport with 22 points.

Five points from Muhammed Ahmed helped Bridgeport build an 8-2 lead 1:22 into the contest before three points from Walter pulled Southern New Hampshire within three. The gap was five when back-to-back treys from Oliveira sparked an 8-0 run that put the Penmen in front, 15-12, at the 15:07 mark of the opening half.

The Penmen lead was 24-19 at 12:02 when five points from Devon Elliott knotted the game at 24 with 11:06 remaining in the first. The game was still tied at 36-all with just under five minutes remaining when 10 Sanders points powered a 16-4 blitz that sent Southern New Hampshire into the break with a 52-40 advantage.

Five points from Gilligan helped Southern New Hampshire open the second half on a 7-2 run and open up a 58-43 lead less than two minutes in. After a pair of Roust free throws halted the run, the Penmen hit back with a balanced 11-2 blast that featured five different scorers and broke the game open at 69-47 with 12:52 remaining.

Bridgeport responded with an 11-0 counter-run – with the final five points coming from Jesse Jones – to slash the deficit to 69-58 at the 10:27 mark. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Gilligan and Walters sparked an 8-0 run that stretched the SNHU lead to 77-58 with 9:01 to go, but a 14-2 surge from Bridgeport – with 10 points coming from Roust – pulled the Purple Knights to within 79-72 with 4:34 on the clock.

Sanders made sure the Penmen would not falter, however, scoring eight straight points for Southern New Hampshire as part of a 13-5 stretch that made it 92-77 with under a minute to go.

Freshman Remo Simankevicius (Melbourne, Australia) chipped in six points (3-4 FG) in 12 minutes off the bench.

Notes:
- The Penmen begin the season 1-0 for the ninth straight year.
-Southern New Hampshire outshot Bridgeport, 50.8 percent (31-61) to 47 percent (31-66), including 50 percent (9-18) to 31 percent (9-29) from long range. The Purple Knights held a slight edge from the line (71.4%-71.0%), but the Penmen made more free throws (22) than Bridgeport attempted (14).
-SNHU won the glass (43-40) and the paint (36-32), in addition to owning a better assist-to-turnover ratio (22/14-15/13).
-It is the second time in Sanders' career he has scored 30-plus points. He set his career high of 36 at Merrimack College on Jan. 3 of last season.

What's Next:
The Penmen take on Dominican (N.Y.) College on Sunday, Nov. 15 (2:30 p.m.) to wrap up their trip to the Bridgeport Men's Basketball Classic.

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