STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Wager – 20 points (7-12 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 4-6 FT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
• Graduate student Stephanie Davis (Windham, N.H.) – 10 points (1-5 FG, 8-10 FT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
• Sophomore Madison Hughes (Columbia, Conn.) – 9 points (3-4 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 2-3 FT)

KEY MOMENTS   

• Southern New Hampshire led by four a little more than four minutes into the contest when a 3-pointer from freshman Taylor Brennan (Southbury, Conn.) sparked a 7-0 blitz that widened the gap to 17-6 with 4:28 remaining. A 12-1 counter-run from American International, however, tied the game at 18-all with 48 seconds left. Senior Sydnie DeVries (Monson, Mass.) hit one of two at the line with 19 seconds on the clock to send the Penmen to the break with a 19-18 edge.
• AIC would jump into the lead at 20-19 a little over a minute-and-a-half into the second stanza, but a 14-3 rush – led by three each from Davis and sophomore Ava Winterburn (New Boston, N.H.) – put SNHU back on top, 36-25, with 2:48 left. AIC would score the final eight of the half to slash its deficit to 36-33 at the break.
• After the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 37-37 less than a minute into the second half, a 3-pointer from freshman Samantha Pfeil (Methuen, Mass.) sparked a 9-2 run that gave SNHU some breathing room at 46-39 with 5:50 left in the third quarter. The Penmen had their largest lead of the second half at 49-41 with under five minutes to play when AIC came with a 9-2 run of its own that trimmed the margin to one at 51-50 with a minute on the clock. SNHU would move in front, 53-50, going to the final frame.
• The Yellow Jackets scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, as part of a 12-2 blitz that opened up a 62-55 advantage for the visitors with just over four minutes remaining. The Penmen climbed as close as three (65-62) on a Winterburn triple with 1:09 to go, but AIC would go up by as many as nine.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Winterburn netted eight points (3-6 FG, 2-4 3-FG).
• Junior Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) posted six points (3-15 FG), nine boards, three assists and two steals.
• Pfeil recorded five points (2-4 FG, 1-3 3-FG) and three rebounds.
• Junior Matilde Baron (Vicenza, Italy) notched four points (2-4 FG) and four rebounds.
• DeVries collected three points (3-4) and six boards.
• Brennan tallied three points (1-4 FG, 1-2 3-FG), three rebounds and three assists.
• American Int'l narrowly outshot Southern New Hampshire, 39.7 percent (25-63) to 39.3 percent (22-56), including 34.8 percent (8-23) to 33.3 percent (7-21) from beyond the arc. The Penmen shot it better from the stripe, 73.9 percent (17-23) to 63 percent (17-27).
• The Penmen scored more on the fast break (21-11) and received more scoring from their bench (20-19), while the Yellow Jackets narrowly captured the paint (28-26), scored more points off turnovers (17-16) and second chance points (11-6), and submitted a better assist-to-turnover ratio (14/15-14/20). Rebounding was even (41-41).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire has lost three straight for the first time all season.
• American Int'l leads the all-time series with Southern New Hampshire, 26-19, but snaps an eight-game losing streak against SNHU, which had won 10 of the last 11 meetings. The Yellow Jackets also half a five-game losing skid against the Penmen in Manchester, where they had not won a game since Jan. 10, 2016 (74-48).
• This was Wager's second 20-point game of the season and the fourth of her career.
• SNHU dips to 68-34 (.667) since the 2021-22 season started, including 32-17 (.653) at the Stan Spirou Field House.

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen return to action Wednesday, Jan. 22 (5:30 p.m.) when they take on Saint Michael's College.
• The next home game for SNHU is Tuesday, Jan 28 (5:30 p.m.) when it plays host to the University of New Haven at the Stan Spirou Field House.