When and Where: November 20, 2016 – Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Fieldhouse)
Score: University of the Sciences 59, Southern New Hampshire University 47
Records: USciences 5-0, SNHU 2-2

Junior Catherine Stinson (Lynn, Mass.) led a balanced scoring attack that featured seven scorers with five or more points, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team let a seven-point second-half lead slip away as the University of the Sciences swiped a 59-47 win on Sunday afternoon at the SNHU Fieldhouse.

Stinson scored nine points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 1-2 FT), collected four rebounds and blocked a pair of shots.

Alex Thomas led USciences with a game-high 18 points.

After neither team scored for the first 3:08, Southern New Hampshire broke the ice with a short jumper from sophomore Kylie Lorenzen (Holliston, Mass.) and then used four points from senior Sara Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) to open up a 6-2 advantage with 4:24 remaining in the opening quarter.

A 5-0 spurt would give USciences a one-point lead just over a minute later, but a 3-pointer from Stinson would hand SNHU back the lead and it would take a 10-7 advantage into the second stanza.

After Sarah Abbonizio opened the scoring with a bucket that made it a one-point game, a Lorenzen basket and 3-pointers from freshmen Victoria Dean (Plymouth, Mass.) and Molly Terry (Shrewsbury, Mass.) extended the Southern New Hampshire lead to a game-high nine at 18-9 with 6:19 to play before the half. The margin was nine with two minutes to go when another 5-0 spurt trimmed the Devils' deficit to four, but another triple from Terry with under a minute to go sent the Penmen to the locker room with a 30-23 lead.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Thomas to begin the third quarter sparked a 15-2 rush for USciences that gave it a 38-32 lead just over four minutes in. Thomas contributed 10 points during the stretch. The Penmen responded, however, as seven straight points from junior Olivia Conrad (Hanover, Mass.) put the hosts back in front at 39-38 with 2:41 to play. The Devils recorded the final three points of the frame to take a 41-39 lead into the fourth.

Following a layup from sophomore Brianna Camara (Fall River, Mass.) that evened the score just over a minute in, USciences ripped off a 14-2 run – with seven points from Thomas and five from Abbonizio – to open its largest lead of the afternoon at 55-43 with 3:16 remaining. The margin would never fall below double digits as the Penmen went the final 6:45 without a field goal and the Devils comfortably secured the victory.

Terry tallied eight points (2-7 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and two assists, while Conrad posted seven points (3-5 FG, 1-2 FT) and two boards. Ryan notched six points (2-11 FG, 1-6 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block, with Lorenzen registering six points (2-8 FG, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and three assists. Camara and Dean both chipped in five points.

Notes:
-The game featured a whopping 41 fouls, with the Penmen being whistled for 21 of them.
-USciences outshot Southern New Hampshire, 33.3 percent (19-57) to 27.8 percent (15-54), despite SNHU shooting 54.5 percent (6-11) in the second stanza.
-The Penmen held a 31.6 percent (6-19) to 25.9 percent (7-27) advantage over the Devils from deep, while the visitors were much better from the line, 87.5 percent (14-16) to 55 percent (11-20).
-USciences won the glass (45-39), the paint (20-14) and featured a slightly better assist-to-turnover ratio (8/14-10/18).

Up Next:
The Penmen return to action Tuesday, Nov. 22 (5:30 p.m.) when they jump back into conference play by hosting Franklin Pierce University at the Fieldhouse.

For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Sign up to receive text message alerts and e-mail newsletters about your favorite Penmen teams here.