When and Where: February 21, 2024 – New Haven, Conn. (Moore Fieldhouse)
Score: Southern Connecticut State University 56, Southern New Hampshire University 51
Records: SNHU 17-7 (15-5 NE10), SCSU 16-10 (13-7 NE10)
Graduate student
Adriana Timberlake (Braintree, Mass.) netted 15 points, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team suffered a 56-51 loss to Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday evening at the Moore Fieldhouse.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Timberlake – 15 points (5-19 FG, 5-8 FT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
- Sophomore Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) – 11 points (4-13 FG, 1-6 3-FG, 3-5 FT), 9 rebounds
- Senior Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) – 8 points (2-9 FG, 4-6 FT), 14 rebounds, 3 blocks
KEY MOMENTS
- Southern Connecticut jumped out to an 11-2 lead over the opening five minutes and held a 15-9 advantage after the first quarter.
- Southern New Hampshire opened the second stanza on an 11-2 run – highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from graduate student Macy Spinks (Luton, U.K.) – that flipped it in front, 20-17, less than three-and-a-half minutes in. The Penmen would cling to a 26-25 lead at the break.
- It was still a one-point game at 33-32 just over four minutes into the second half when another 11-2 burst – powered by five from Knight – gave SNHU its largest lead of the contest at 44-34 with under two minutes remaining. An SCSU triple at the buzzer trimmed its deficit to 46-39 going to the final frame.
- The hosts scored 13 straight to open the fourth quarter, keeping the Penmen off the board until Timberlake dropped in a layup with 1:53 to go that pulled the visitors within 52-48. SNHU would get as close as 54-51 with 33 seconds on the clock, but a turnover on a potential game-tying possession, followed by a pair of SCSU free throws with 18 ticks left, all but sealed it.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Freshman Abby Wager (Mansfield, Mass.) posted nine points (3-7 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 1-2 FT) and five boards.
- Spinks scored six points (2-4 FG, 2-4 3-FG) and grabbed three rebounds.
- Junior Sydnie DeVries (Monson, Mass.) tallied two points (1-3 FG), three rebounds and a pair of assists.
- Southern Connecticut narrowly outshot Southern New Hampshire, 33.9 percent (21-62) to 30.4 percent (17-56), while the Penmen were better from distance, 26.3 percent (5-19) to 20 percent (3-15).
- The Owls shot it better from the line, 78.6 percent (11-14) to 52.2 percent (12-23).
- The Penmen won the glass (41-36), scored more second chance points (7-4) and received more scoring from their bench (9-8), while the Owls captured the paint (30-22), scored more points off turnovers (20-7) and on the fast break (6-4), and featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (11/14-6/22).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire, which had won 11 of its last 13 contests, including seven straight, has now lost back-to-back games for just the second time all season.
- Southern Connecticut leads the all-time series, 42-30, but SNHU has won five of the last eight meetings, including three of five on the road.
- The Penmen recorded a 65-56 home win back on Jan. 13, as the teams have now split the regular-season series three straight years.
- SNHU is now 60-22 (.732) since the start of the 2021-22 season, including 32-11 (.744) away from the Stan Spirou Field House.
- Knight, who ranks second in the NE10 in blocked shots (50) and blocks per game (2.1), has eight games this season with three or more blocks, including back-to-back. She has now blocked at least one shot in nine straight contests and 11 of 12.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen return to action Saturday, Feb. 24 (1:30 p.m.) when they play host to No. 16/20 Assumption University at the Stan Spirou Field House.
