BOX SCORE

When and Where: November 22, 2015 – Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Fieldhouse)
Score: Philadelphia U. 67, Southern New Hampshire University 61
Records: Philadelphia U. 4-1, SNHU 3-2

Junior Chris Walters (Stamford, Conn.) collected his second career double-double in the last three games, but the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team lost a closely-contested non-conference matchup with Philadelphia University, 67-61, Sunday evening at the SNHU Fieldhouse.

Walters scored 16 points (5-8 FG, 2-4 FT, 4-8 FT), grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out two assists. Junior Devin Gilligan (Amherst, N.H.) posted 15 points (5-14 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 3-3 FT) and five rebounds, while freshman Daquaise Andrews (Queens, N.Y.) recorded 14 points (5-13 FG, 1-4 3-FG, 3-6 FT), three boards and two assists. Senior Rodney Sanders (Elizabeth, N.J.) was also in double figures with 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3-FG) to go along with five boards and four assists.

Peter Alexis led Philadelphia U. with 23 points, including 19 in the opening half, six rebounds and two blocks. Kaison Randolph added 22 points, 11 boards, five assists and two steals.

With the game tied at four early on, five straight points from Walters opened up a 9-4 lead for Southern New Hampshire just over three minutes in. The Rams battled back to tie it at nine, but a 3-pointer from senior Kostas Mantalvanos (Athens, Greece) re-installed the five-point lead at 16-11 with 12:21 remaining in the first frame.

Seven points from Alexis and five from Randolph made up a 12-4 rush that put Philadelphia U. in front, 23-20, before a Gilligan trey knotted the contest with 4:35 to go before the half. An Andrews layup with 2:59 on the clock gave the Penmen a 28-27 edge, but it would be their final lead of the game as the Rams scored the final seven points of the stanza to bring a 34-28 lead into the break.

Andrews opened the second half with a 3-pointer that sliced the deficit in half, but an 8-0 run from Philly U. stretched the visitors' lead to 42-31 nearly four minutes in. With the margin at nine nearly four minutes later, a 10-3 rush – capped by a 3-pointer from freshman Charlie Russo (Syracuse, N.Y.) – pulled the Penmen to within a pair at 50-48 midway through the half.

The gap was still two with 13 seconds left when Sanders drove to the hoop for a layup, but was called for an offensive foul and Randolph sank both at the line to make it a two-possession game. Following a miss at the other end, Eric Long drained two at the line with under six seconds remaining to seal it.

Notes:
-Philadelphia U. outshot Southern New Hampshire, 49 percent (24-49) to 40.4 percent (21-52), including 45.5 percent (5-11) to 37.5 percent (9-24) from long distance.
-Neither team was particularly inspiring at the line, as the Rams were 14 of 23 (60.9%) and the Penmen hit 10 of 17 (58.8%).
-Philly U. won both the glass (37-27) and the paint (24-18), while SNHU narrowly took better care of the ball, turning it over just 10 times compared to 12 for its opponent.
-The all-time series between the two teams is now tied at 2-2. This was the first meeting since the Rams won a 69-55 decision in a neutral-site game at Holy Family University on Dec. 29, 2006.

Up Next:

The Penmen return to action Tuesday, Nov. 24 (7:30 p.m.) when they jump back into conference play and take a trip to Franklin Pierce University. The next home game for the Penmen is Wednesday, Dec. 2 (7:30 p.m.) when they play host to Assumption College on Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night at the Fieldhouse. Tickets can be purchased HERE or at the box office on the day of the game.

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