When and Where: March 17, 2024 – Colchester, Vt. (Ross Sports Center)
Score: #3 seed Southern New Hampshire University 69, #7 seed Post University 64
Records: SNHU 23-10, Post 21-10
Graduate student
Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) led four Penmen in double figures with 17 points as SNHU advanced to the NCAA Division II East Regional Championship with a 69-64 win over Post University on Sunday in Colchester, Vt.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Becht – 17 points (5-8 FG, 4-6 3-FG, 3-4 FT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
- Junior Derrick Grant Jr. (Plainfield, N.J.) – 14 points (7-14 FG), 4 rebounds, 1 block
- Senior Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) – 11 points (3-6 FG, 3-6 3-FG, 2-4 FT), 3 rebounds, 2 steals
- Senior Preston Santos (Providence, R.I.) – 10 points (2-4 FG, 2-3 3-FG, 4-6 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
KEY MOMENTS
- The first four field goals of the game for the Penmen were three-pointers. Becht hit his first for a 3-2 lead, followed by a pair by Santos, and one by Kamba for a 12-8 lead.
- A three-pointer by Brathwaite, a lay-up by Grant, and a jumper by Henderson gave the Penmen a 21-10 lead just seven minutes into the game.
- SNHU hit on 11 of its first 18 shots, including 7-for-10 from three-point range to maintain the lead throughout the rest of the half.
- The Penmen took the largest lead of the night at 39-26 after a pair of free throws by junior Kurtis Henderson (Brockton, Mass.). SNHU led 39-29 at the half.
- Post scored the first eight points of the second half to pull within two before a three-pointer by Becht made it 42-37.
- Becht connected on two more three-pointers to push the lead back out to 48-41.
- Kamba's third trifecta with a little under 11 to play made it 51-43.
- The Penmen led 58-52 at a time out with 4:58 to play and extended the lead with a Grant dunk, and a pair of free throws by Henderson.
- Post continued to push, and a 7-0 run culminated by a three-point field goal by Robert Sanders (18 points) made it 62-59 with 2:22 to play.
- Becht passed up a three with 1:01 to play and found Grant inside for a layup and free throw that gave SNHU a 66-61 lead.
- The Eagles took a time out with 7.8 seconds to play, trailing 67-64, to set up a last-second three-point try by Deng Daeng, which missed.
- Becht hit two free throws to seal the win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Henderson – 7 points (1-3 FG, 5-6 FT), 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
- Junior Jordan Brathwaite (Silver Spring, Md.) – 7 points (2-7 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 2-3 FT), 1 rebound, 3 assists
- Sophomore Royce Williams (Manchester, N.H.) – 3 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3-FG), 4 rebounds
- Southern New Hampshire outshot Post, 46.7 percent (21-45) to 34.3 percent (23-67), including 47.8 percent (11-23) to 29.6 percent (8-27) from long range.
- The Penmen were plus-6 at the line and shot it better, 64.0 percent (16-25) to 62.5 percent (10-16).
- Post had an 11-0 edge on points off turnovers and 3-0 on fast break points.
- The Penmen had 14 turnovers and Post had 9 for the game.
- The Eagles had a 41-34 rebounding edge which included a 14-3 advantage on offensive rebounds. Post outscored the Penmen 9-1 on second-chance points and 12-10 from their bench.
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire, which reached 23 wins for the first time since 2015-16 (23-11), has won ten of its last 12, including a season-high nine-in-a-row.
- The Penmen improve to 30-21 (.588) all-time in the NCAA Championship.
- SNHU advances to the Regional Championship for the first time since 2014-15 when they won 75-58 over Southern Connecticut State University.
- SNHU has won six straight postseason games for the fourth time. The Penmen captured six straight postseason contests in 1992-93 and 1993-94, when they advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, as well as in 1994-95 when they made a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight.
- SNHU leads the all-time series with Post 12-2. The teams had met back in November in Waterbury, Conn. with the Penmen winning that contest 82-76.
- Post finished the season at 21-10, earning its first NCAA tournament berth.
- The Penmen improve to 4-0 at the Ross Sports Center this year which includes a pair of wins over East Region top-seed Saint Michael's College.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The NCAA Division II East Region Championship will be played at Saint Michael's College on Tuesday (3/19) at 7:00 p.m.