When and Where: November 11, 2022 – Manchester, N.H. (Stoutenburgh Gymnasium)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 76, Saint Anselm College 75
Records: SNHU 1-0, Saint Anselm 0-1
Senior
Adriana Timberlake (Braintree, Mass.) knocked down a pair of clutch free throws with 11 seconds remaining and junior
Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) dropped a career-high 20 points, as the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team opened its season with a 76-75 victory against cross-town rival Saint Anselm College on Friday evening at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Timberlake – 14 points (3-9 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 6-8 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 assists
- Knight – career-high 20 points (6-18 FG, 8-12 FT), 9 rebounds
- Graduate student Mia Roy (Bedford, N.H.) – 17 points (6-12 FG, 5-5 FT), 2 rebounds
KEY MOMENTS
- Neither team led by more than four until Timberlake drilled a 3-pointer to make it 38-32 in favor of the visitors with 47 seconds left in the second quarter. Southern New Hampshire would bring a 38-35 lead to the locker room.
- SNHU would twice lead by five in the third quarter, but it was Saint Anselm, which closed the stanza on a 10-2 run, that pulled in front, 57-54, going to the final frame.
- The Penmen opened the fourth on a 9-2 run – capped by a huge triple from senior Jenna Roche (Braintree, Mass.) – to grab a 66-62 advantage. Junior Julia Colby (So. Parris, Maine) contributed four points during the stretch.
- The Hawks would battle back and led, 75-74, after a Gabby Turco (game-high 27 points) layup with 1:12 to go, but SNHU would have the ball in the waning seconds and a foul on Timberlake sent her to the line, where she buried both free throws to put the Penmen in front, 76-75, with 11 seconds on the clock. Saint Anselm had two shots at the win in the final seconds, but missed both.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Colby netted an efficient nine points (4-5 FG, 1-1 3-FG) and grabbed three rebounds.
- Senior Ariana Koivisto (Pomfret, Conn.) tallied seven points (3-8 FG, 1-4 3-FG), four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
- Freshman Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) posted six points (3-6 FG) and seven boards.
- Roche chipped in three points (1-4 FG, 1-1 3-FG), four rebounds and two assists.
- Saint Anselm outshot SNHU, 50.8 percent (30-59) to 41.9 percent (26-62), including 63.6 percent (7-11) to 38.5 percent (5-13) from downtown.
- The Penmen were plus-11 at the line and shot it better, 76 percent (19-25) to 61.5 percent (8-13).
- SNHU won the paint (42-36) and the glass (38-33), scored more points off turnovers (12-6) and gathered more second chance points (10-4), while Saint Anselm featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (18/12-12/10).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire captures its season opener for the third time in the last four seasons, including the second straight.
- Saint Anselm leads the all-time series against SNHU, 52-22, and has won 12 of the last 16 meetings, but the Penmen have now won three of four, including three straight on the road.
- The Penmen earn one point in the Queen City Cup standings with the win and now lead, 12-7, in the battle for Manchester supremacy.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen return to Saint Anselm on Saturday (Nov. 12) at 6 p.m. to take on Dominican (N.Y.) University.
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