EASTON, Mass. – Rodney Sanders (Linden, N.J.) totaled 19 points as Southern New Hampshire University shut down Stonehill College for a 58-41 Northeast-10 men's basketball victory Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.  The Penmen, who won for the ninth time in 10 games, improve to 16-6 and 14-4 in the NE-10, while the Skyhawks are now 16-8 and 11-7 in conference play.

SNHU's win, combined with Saint Anselm's loss at Franklin Pierce Saturday, gives SNHU a two-game lead for the top spot in the NE-10 Northeast Division with three games remaining in conference regular season play.

Sanders finished 7-10 from the floor and was one of two Penmen in double figures.  Elijah Bonsignore (Felton, Del.) finished with 14 points, while Devin Gilligan (Amherst, N.H.) added nine points off the bench.

Ryan Logan led Stonehill, which was held to its lowest point output since 2003, with nine points.

Stonehill led just once, at 2-0, as Southern New Hampshire opened up a 22-6 lead nine minutes into the game following a Gilligan layup.  The lead swelled to 19, 30-11, on a Sanders three with just over five minutes left in the first frame.  The Skyhawks chipped away at the lead and pulled within 15, 32-17, at intermission.

The hosts continued to chip away, and a Daniel Brix basket with 10:40 left pulled Stonehill within eight, 37-29.  A Carter Smith three with just over nine minutes to go made it a 40-33 game, but SNHU responded with an 8-0 run, and a pair of Phillip Tripodakis (Athens, Greece) free throws with just over five minutes left pushed the lead back to 15, 48-33.  The Penmen maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

SNHU limited Stonehill to 27.1% shooting for the contest, including a 5-29 effort behind the arc, while the Penmen shot  43.2% and connected on eight of their 18 three-point attempts.  The guests took 10 more trips to the free throw line, going 12-17 while Stonehill went 4-7 at the stripe.  The hosts held a 38-34 rebound advantage.

Southern New Hampshire steps out of conference Monday afternoon when it hosts Saint Thomas Aquinas College in a 3:00 game at the SNHU Fieldhouse.