Box Score BOX SCORE
When and Where: December 3, 2016 – Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Fieldhouse)
Score: Bentley University 61, Southern New Hampshire University 58
Records: Bentley 7-2 (5-0 NE10), SNHU 3-5 (1-3 NE10)
Sophomore Kylie Lorenzen (Holliston, Mass.) posted a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team – despite leading for more than 75 percent of the game – dropped Saturday afternoon's 61-58 decision to 11th-ranked Bentley University at the SNHU Fieldhouse.
Lorenzen shot 7 of 16 from the field, including 1 of 2 from long range, and 6 of 8 from the line. Junior Catherine Stinson (Lynn, Mass.) was also in double figures with 10 points (4-12 FG, 2-6 3-FG).
Lauren Green paced the Falcons with 16 points.
After not leading for 33:10 of game action, Bentley capped a 15-5 run with a 3-pointer from Green to take a 57-56 lead with 1:36 remaining in the contest – its first lead since 4:48 of the opening quarter. Green had seven points during the stretch, with Jen Gemma adding six. A Lorenzen bucket just 16 seconds later handed the Penmen back the lead, but a pair of free throws from Macchi Smith with 1:07 on the clock put Bentley back in front, 59-58.
The teams then traded empty possessions before Bentley held SNHU and then received two more free throws from Smith to take a three-point lead with four seconds to go. The Penmen generated one final look at a potential game-tying 3, but it was off the mark as the Falcons swooped in and stole the victory.
With the game tied at 10 with under two minutes to play in the first quarter, sophomore Brianna Camara (Fall River, Mass.) hit a jumper in the paint while getting fouled and converted the three-point play at the line to spark a 9-2 run that also featured three points each from Lorenzen and freshman Molly Terry (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and opened a 19-12 lead for Southern New Hampshire with 27 seconds left. The Penmen would take a 19-14 advantage into the second quarter.
A 3-pointer from Stinson would give SNHU its largest lead of the second stanza at 24-18 under three minutes in, but five straight points would pull Bentley within one at 24-23 with 5:30 left. The gap was still one when junior Olivia Conrad (Hanover, Mass.) closed the scoring with a big three-point play that sent the Penmen to the break with a 31-27 lead.
Two straight buckets from Green to start the second half tied the score at 31 just 1:18 in, but five straight points from Lorenzen gave Southern New Hampshire a 36-31 lead at 7:43. Bentley would trim its deficit to one under a minute later, but buckets from freshman Amanda Kelly (Bethpage, N.Y.) and senior Sara Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) put the lead back to five at 40-35 with 4:44 remaining. Four straight points from Ryan later in the stanza nudged the Penmen lead to 46-39 with under two minutes to play before they brought a 48-42 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Stinson's trey just 24 seconds in gave SNHU its largest lead of the day at 51-42, but Bentley responded with that 15-5 run that allowed it to climb back into the game.
Ryan posted eight points (3-5 FG, 2-4 FT), four rebounds and two blocks, while Camara chimed in with five points (2-7 FG, 1-1 FT), five boards and two assists. Sophomore Aaliyah Paxton (Hainesport, N.J.) recorded four points (2-5 FG) and seven rebounds, with Kelly chipping in four points (2-5 FG) and four boards.
Notes:
-Lorenzen's double-double was her third of the season and seventh of her career.
-SNHU led for 31:04 of the contest, while Bentley was in the lead (3:38) for a smaller amount of time than the game was tried (5:18).
-Bentley outshot Southern New Hampshire, 36.7 percent (22-60) to 34.9 percent (22-63), including a narrow 20 percent (3-15) to 19 percent 4-21) from deep.
-The Falcons held a 44-39 advantage on the glass, while the Penmen won the paint, 30-28. Both teams handed out 11 assists and turned it over just nine times
Up Next:
The Penmen return to action Wednesday, Dec. 7 (5:30 p.m.) when they take on Stonehill College. The next home game for SNHU is Saturday, Dec. 10 (1:30 p.m.) when it plays host to Saint Michael's College in a game that will air live on NESNplus and NESN National at the Fieldhouse.
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