When and Where: February 4, 2023 – Garden City, N.Y. (Center for Recreation and Sport)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 77, Adelphi University 71
Records: SNHU 14-7 (11-4 NE10), Adelphi 10-14 (4-12 NE10)
Junior
Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) put forth another strong effort with 22 points, as the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team held off a late push from Adelphi University for a 77-71 victory Saturday afternoon at the Center for Recreation and Sport
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Becht – 22 points (6-9 FG, 4-6 3-FG, 6-7 FT)
- Sophomore Ethan Okwuosa (No. Haven, Conn.) – 16 points (5-12 FG, 3-4 3-FG, 3-3 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists
- Graduate student Ryan Layman (Wrentham, Mass.) – season-high 13 points (6-8 FG, 1-2 FT), season-high 10 rebounds, 2 assists
- Sophomore Evan Guillory (Springfield, Mo.) – 11 points (3-7 FG, 5-7 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 steals
KEY MOMENTS
- Neither team led by four in a first half that ended in a 24-all tie.
- After Adelphi scored the first two points of the second half, Southern New Hampshire used a 10-2 rush – capped by a Becht 3-pointer – to open up a 34-28 lead just under three minutes into the second stanza. The Panthers pulled within two at 37-35 with 15:10 remaining, but back-to-back Okwuosa treys gave the Penmen an eight-point lead at 43-35 with 13:54 to go. Another Becht triple handed SNHU its largest lead of the day at 56-44 with 8:42 on the clock.
- A 13-5 stretch from the hosts whittled their deficit down to 64-60 with 3:09 left. The gap was six with 35 seconds on the clock when Adelphi took advantage of a Penmen turnover to score four straight and pull within 73-71 with 14 ticks left. SNHU would go 4-for-4 from the line over the final nine seconds to seal it.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Junior Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) netted seven points (2-6 FG, 1-5 3-FG, 2-2 FT), including two crucial free throws in the final seconds.
- Sophomore Derrick Grant (Plainfield, N.J.) posted six points (3-5 FG), four boards, two assists and a pair of blocks.
- Sophomore Jordan Brathwaite (Silver Spring, Md.) scored two points (1-5 FG) and grabbed eight rebounds.
- Southern New Hampshire outshot Adelphi, 50 percent (26-52) to 46.9 percent (23-49), including 47.1 percent (8-17) to 35.7 percent (5-14) from long distance.
- Adelphi was better from the stripe, 90.9 percent (20-22) to 81 percent (17-21).
- The Penmen won the glass (32-30), scored more points off turnovers (18-8), second chance points (13-4) and bench points (13-11), and submitted a better assist-to-turnover ratio (11/12-9/11). The Panthers scored more on the fast break (10-4). The paint was even, 34-34.
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire has won 11 of its last 15, 10 of its last 11 and four-in-a-row.
- With the two teams in front of them in the NE10 standings idle, the Penmen move into a second-place tie with Saint Anselm College, just one full game behind first-place Bentley University.
- SNHU, which leads the all-time series with Adelphi 15-9, has won five of eight, including three-in-a-row. The win snaps a three-game road losing streak against the Panthers, as the Penmen win in Garden City for the first time since Jan. 22, 2014 (60-50).
- Layman's double-double was his first of the season and the second of his career.
- Becht has scored in double figures in 19 of 21 games and has reached nine points in every contest this season. During his seven-game run of 10-plus points, he is scoring 19.4 ppg.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen are back in action Tuesday, Feb. 7 (7:30 p.m.) when they travel to take on in-state rival Franklin Pierce University.
- The next home contest for SNHU is Saturday, Feb. 11 (3:30 p.m.) when they play host to the College of Saint Rose at the Stan Spirou Field House.
