Box Score BOX SCORE
RAPID REACTION WITH HEAD COACH KAREN PINKOS
When and Where: February 6, 2016 – Manchester, N.H. (SNHU Fieldhouse)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 60, Saint Michael's College 52
Records: SNHU 13-9 (7-9 Northeast-10), Saint Michael's 7-14 (3-13 Northeast-10)
Freshman Kylie Lorenzen (Holliston, Mass.) notched her third double-double of the season to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team past Saint Michael's College, 60-52, Saturday afternoon on the 11th annual Penmen Pink Day at the SNHU Fieldhouse.
Lorenzen scored 20 points (7-11 FG, 1-1 3-FG, 5-6 FT) – including 16 in the second half – and matched her career high with 13 rebounds. Freshman Aaliyah Paxton (Hainesport, N.J.) also registered double figures with 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-2 FT) and eight boards.
Leah Spencer led all scorers with 25 points for the Purple Knights.
Southern New Hampshire opened the game on a 12-2 wave that featured four points each from sophomore Olivia Conrad (Hanover, Mass.) and Paxton over the first 5:42. Saint Michael's would shave its deficit to six, but a 5-0 spurt to end the period, including a big 3-pointer from freshman Brianna Camara (Fall River, Mass.), would give the Penmen a 17-6 lead at the end of one.
Junior Sara Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) connected on a triple 15 seconds into the second stanza to open up a commanding 20-6 advantage – Southern New Hampshire's largest of the afternoon – but Saint Michael's would outscore SNHU, 19-3, over the remainder of the quarter to bring a 25-23 edge into the locker room. Spencer led the Purple Knights with eight points during the stretch, while the only Penmen points came off a 25-foot 3-pointer from senior Erin Doherty (Marshfield, Mass.) as the shot clock expired.
With Saint Michael's still clinging to a two-point lead more than four-and-a-half minutes into the second half, seven straight points from Lorenzen triggered a 12-0 run – with nine points coming from Lorenzen – to give the Penmen a 39-29 lead with 1:30 left in the third. SNHU led, 42-32, at the end of the quarter.
With the margin at 12 more than halfway through the final frame, an 8-2 run – with six points from Spencer – sliced the Saint Michael's deficit in half at 53-47 with 2:51 remaining. A monster 3-pointer from Lorenzen stopped the bleeding, but a pair of triples from Spencer carried a 6-2 spurt that made it a five-point game at 55-50. The Penmen would go 5-for-6 at the line down the stretch to seal the win.
Camara netted eight points (3-11 FG, 1-6 3-FG, 1-1 FT) and pulled down six rebounds, while Doherty posted seven points (3-7 FG, 1-1 3-FG) and seven rebounds. Sophomore Jennifer Shelp (Apalachin, N.Y.) tallied six points (1-9 FG, 4-6 FT), seven rebounds and four assists, with Ryan adding five points (2-10 FG, 1-7 3-FG) and three assists.
Notes:
-The Penmen have now won three of their last four.
-Southern New Hampshire outshot Saint Michael's, 36.7 percent (22-60) to 33.3 percent (19-57), while the Purple Knights returned the favor from deep, 27.8 percent (5-18) to 23.5 percent (4-17).
-The Penmen owned the glass, 49-30, including 21-12 on the offensive end for an 18-7 gap in second chance points. SNHU also captured the paint (30-24) and held a 17-12 margin in points off turnovers, despite giving it away more times (17) than the Purple Knights (12).
-For the 11th straight season, the team held its Penmen Pink Day to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The team wore special pink jerseys, in addition to holding a raffle and selling shirts, which raised funds that will be donated to organizations, including Catholic Medical Center's Breast Care Center.
Up Next:
The Penmen are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 10 (5:30 p.m.) when they play host to Bentley University (19-3, 13-3 NE-10) in a game that will air live on NESNplus and NESN National and be broadcast on WGIR 610-AM. Tickets can be purchased HERE or at the box office on the day of the game.
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