RAPID REACTION WITH HEAD COACH STAN SPIROU

When and Where: February 6, 2016 – Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Fieldhouse)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 70, Saint Michael's College 65
Records: SNHU 15-8 (11-5 Northeast-10), Saint Michael's 5-16 (3-13 Northeast-10)

Senior Rodney Sanders (Elizabeth, N.J.) scored 20 points as the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team held on for a 70-65 victory against Saint Michael's College on Saturday at the SNHU Fieldhouse.

Sanders shot 7-for-14 from the field, including 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-6 at the line, to go along with six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Junior Chris Walters (Stamford, Conn.) tallied 14 points (3-9 FG, 8-12 FT), eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist. Senior BJ Cardarelli (Manchester, Conn.) was also in double figures with 11 points (3-9 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 3-4 FT), seven rebounds, three blocks and two assists.

Morrell Gaskins paced the Purple Knights with 28 points, 13 rebounds and three assists.

After Saint Michael's jumped out to a 5-0 lead, five points from Sanders powered a 12-3 run that gave Southern New Hampshire a 12-8 lead just over seven minutes in. The visitors battled back with five straight points to grab a 13-12 edge at the 11:48 mark.

With the score tied at 16-all, four straight points from Walters triggered a 17-6 landslide that cracked open a 33-22 lead for the Penmen with 3:22 to go. Walters contributed nine points during the stretch. SNHU grabbed its largest lead of the afternoon at 37-24 with 1:18 on the clock and eventually led, 40-30, at the break.

With the margin still 10 nearly five minutes into the second half, five points from Gaskins and Greg Grippo helped craft a 13-3 run that knotted the game at 51-51 with 11:39 remaining. A 3-pointer from junior Jerome Harris (Hartford, Conn.) halted the run and sparked an 11-0 counter-stretch that put Southern New Hampshire in front, 62-51, with under eight minutes to play.

Saint Michael's made one final push with a 10-4 run that featured five points from Gaskins and pulled the Purple Knights to within three at 68-65 with 1:17 left. The Penmen collected two offensive rebounds on the ensuing possession to run the clock down and then Sanders drilled a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to seal it.

Harris netted eight points (3-5 FG, 2-4 3-FG) and grabbed four rebounds, while freshman Charlie Russo (Syracuse, N.Y.) added six points (2-3 FG, 2-3 3-FG).

Notes:
-SNHU now has a season-high five-game winning streak.
-Saint Michael's outshot Southern New Hampshire, 40.4 percent (23-57) to 39.3 percent (22-56), including 38.9 percent (7-18) to 29.6 percent (8-27) from long range.
-The Purple Knights won the glass (38-37) and the paint (30-22), with the Penmen featuring a better assist-to-turnover ratio (13/13 – 11/19).
-Southern New Hampshire improves to 10-2 at home, including a perfect 8-0 against Northeast-10 opponents.
-SNHU has won 10 of its last 12 against Northeast-10 foes.
-The Penmen are now 14-1 when holding their opponents to 70 or fewer points.

Up Next:
The Penmen are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 10 (7:30 p.m.) when they play host to Bentley University (16-5, 13-3 NE-10).

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