When and Where: January 13, 2024 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 84, Southern Connecticut State University 71
Records: SNHU 10-4 (6-3 NE10), SCSU 11-4 (5-4 NE10)
Graduate student
Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) scored all 18 of his game-high 18 points in the first half to help the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team record an 84-71 victory against Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Becht – 18 points (6-13 FG, 6-9 3-FG), 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
- Junior Kurtis Henderson (Brockton, Mass.) – 14 points (4-11 FG, 4-8 3-FG, 2-2 FT), 3 assists, 3 steals
- Senior Preston Santos (Providence, R.I.) – 13 points (6-15 FG, 1-7 3-FG), 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists
- Junior Derrick Grant Jr. (Plainfield, N.J.) – 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 3 blocks
- Graduate student Alex Rivera (Lowell, Mass.) – 11 points (4-9 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 1-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
KEY MOMENTS
- Following two lead changes and two ties in the opening three-plus minutes, Southern Connecticut went on a 15-7 run to take its largest lead of the contest at 23-15 with 11:32 left in the first half. With the gap still eight more than three minutes later, Southern New Hampshire used a 17-2 barrage – paced by six each from Becht and senior Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) – to grab a 37-30 lead with 4:39 to go before the break. The Penmen canned five 3-pointers during the stretch. SNHU would bring a 42-37 advantage into the locker room.
- The margin was six just over three minutes into the second half when a 22-5 blitz gave the Penmen their largest lead of the day at 68-45 with 10:27 remaining. Henderson knocked down four triples to lead the way with 12 points during the stretch. The Owls would later use a 17-6 run to get within 11 at 78-67 with 3:06 on the clock, but that was as close as they would get.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Junior Jordan Brathwaite (Silver Spring, Md.) netted eight points (4-5 FG).
- Kamba registered six points (2-5 FG, 2-5 3-FG) and a pair of assists.
- Facing its largest deficit of the contest at 28-20 with 8:18 remaining in the opening half, SNHU ripped off a 48-17 run that lasted until there was 10:19 left in the game and transformed the margin into the largest Penmen advantage of the game at 68-45.
- Southern New Hampshire outshot Southern Connecticut, 45.1 percent (32-71) to 40.3 percent (25-62), including 48.6 percent (17-35) to 32.4 percent (11-34) in the second half. SCSU outshot SNHU from deep, 50 percent (11-22) to 39.5 percent (15-38).
- The Penmen were better from the line in limited trips, 83.3 percent (5-6) to 71.4 percent (10-14).
- The Penmen captured the glass (40-37) and the paint (30-26), scored more points off turnovers (20-5) and second chance points (20-9), received more scoring from their bench (21-14) and produced a more impressive assist-to-turnover ratio (19/7-8/12), while the Owls recorded more points on the fast break (7-6).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire has won 10 of its last 13. The 10-4 start is the best for the program since it began the 2017-18 campaign 11-3.
- Southern Connecticut, after winning seven-in-a-row, has dropped two of its last three.
- SNHU leads the all-time series with SCSU, 57-25, and has won five of the last six, including four straight. The Penmen have won five-in-a-row at home, with the Owls last winning at the Field House on Jan. 7, 2015 (75-70).
- After scoring 10 total points through the first three games of the year, Santos is averaging 10.5 ppg over his last eight and has scored in double figures five times.
- Over the five seasons of head coach Jack Perri's tenure, the Penmen are 41-17 (.707) at home, including 5-1 this season.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen return to action Tuesday, Jan. 16 (7:30 p.m.) when they take on the College of Saint Rose.
- The next home contest for SNHU is Wednesday, Jan. 24 (7:30 p.m.) when it plays host to cross-town rival Saint Anselm College at the Stan Spirou Field House in a game that will air live on WGIR 610-AM and Fox Sports New Hampshire 930-AM.