When and Where: December 1, 2021 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 77, Saint Michael's College 73 (OT)
Records: SNHU 5-2 (2-2 NE10), SMC 3-3 (0-2 NE10)
Freshman
Aaron Gray (Providence, R.I.) and senior
Corry Long (Cincinnati, Ohio) combined for 41 points, including 20 after halftime, as the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team snapped a short two-game skid with a 77-73 overtime victory against Saint Michael's College on Wednesday night at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Gray – 22 points (8-15 FG, 2-5 3-FG, 4-5 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 assists
- Long – career-high 19 points (8-23 FG, 1-6 3-FG, 2-2 FT), career-high 9 rebounds, 4 assists
- Sophomore Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) – 16 points (4-11 FG, 4-11 3-FG, 4-5 FT), 6 rebounds
KEY MOMENTS
- Saint Michael's scored the first seven points of the game, but a 16-0 blitz later in the opening half gave Southern New Hampshire its largest lead of the night at 32-22 with 6:08 remaining. Becht sparked the stretch with consecutive 3-pointers to lead the way with six points, while Gray added five. SNHU would take a 36-30 lead into the locker room.
- The Purple Knights used a 19-7 run in the second half to grab a six-point lead with under four minutes to go, but the Penmen scored the final six points of regulation – four from Long and two from Gray – to tie it at 68-all with 2:11 left and neither team could break the tie.
- SNHU netted the first six points of OT – four from Long and two from Gray – to go in front, 74-68, with 2:44 remaining. SMC would get to within 76-73 with 19 ticks left, but a free throw from sophomore Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) would all but seal it.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Kamba tallied six points (2-9 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 3-4 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals.
- Junior Ryan Layman (Wrentham, Mass.) posted six points (3-7 FG), four rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks.
- Freshman Ethan Okwuosa (No. Haven, Conn.) chipped in four points (2-8 FG), a pair of boards and three steals.
- Saint Michael's outshot SNHU, 43.8 percent (28-64) to 35.5 percent (27-76), including 28.1 percent (9-32) to 27.6 percent (8-29) from distance, and 88.9 percent (8-9) to 83.3 percent (15-18) from the stripe.
- The Penmen captured the paint (34-30), featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (14/8-15/22), and scored more points off turnovers (24-4), second chance points (18-9) and points on the fast break (15-3), while the Purple Knights won the glass (46-38) and received more bench scoring (12-6).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire is 5-2 for the second straight season.
- SNHU leads the all-time series with Saint Michael's, 39-14, and has won 14 of the last 17 meetings, including three straight. The Penmen also extend their home winning streak against the Purple Knights to nine. SMC has not won at the Field House since Nov. 16, 2011 (59-57).
- Gray and Long have scored in double figures in six of seven games this season.
- Becht leads the NE10 with 24 3-pointers made.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen return to action Saturday, Dec. 4 (5 p.m.) when they take on in-state rival Franklin Pierce University.
- The next home contest for SNHU is Tuesday, Dec. 7 (7:30 p.m.) when they play host to Bentley University in a game that will air live on WGIR 610-AM at the Field House.
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