When and Where: January 2, 2025 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Bentley University 82, Southern New Hampshire University 74
Records: SNHU 7-4 (3-2 NE10) Bentley 6-5 (3-2 NE10)
Junior
Ray Daniels (Las Vegas, Nev.) scored 26 points and senior
Paul Greene (Freeport, Bahamas) notched an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double, but the Southern New Hampshire University men's basketball team saw Bentley University rally in the second half for an 82-74 victory Thursday evening at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Daniels – 26 points (8-18 FG, 4-7 3-FG, 6-7 FT), 2 steals
- Greene – 18 points (7-13 FG, 2-2 3-FG, 2-3 FT), 17 rebounds, 4 assists
- Senior Kurtis Henderson (Brockton, Mass.) – 14 points (5-14 FG, 4-11 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
- Senior Derrick Grant Jr. (Piscataway, N.J.) – 9 points (3-6 FG, 1-2 3-FG, 2-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists
KEY MOMENTS
- Southern New Hampshire moved out to a 10-4 lead in the opening 2:30, powered by five points from Daniels, before an 8-2 counter-run from Bentley tied the game at 12-all with 15:44 remaining in the first half. A 10-0 rush from the Falcons put them in the lead at 22-15 with 9:32 left, but seven straight from the Penmen left the score knotted, 22-22, with 7:43 to go. An 8-2 spurt – with five points from Daniels – gave SNHU a 35-29 advantage with 1:36 on the clock. The Penmen would go the break with a 38-33 lead following a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Henderson.
- A Greene layup less than three minutes into the second half would match SNHU's largest lead of the night at 45-39, but eight straight from Bentley flipped it into the lead at 47-45 with 14:49 remaining. Five lead changes and a pair of ties followed, leaving the Penmen with a 58-57 edge with under eight minutes to play.
- A Cash McClure (26 points) three-point play at 6:49 gave Bentley the lead for good and sparked a 13-5 run that handed the visitors their largest lead at 71-62 with 4:10 left. SNHU would get as close as 79-74 with under a minute to go, but the Falcons hit 3 of 4 at the line down the stretch to seal it.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Senior Noah Harris (Manalapan, N.J.) netted three points (1-8 FG, 1-6 3-FG).
- Senior Brenden Choate (Nashua, N.H.) added two points (1-4 FG), two rebounds and three assists.
- Junior Royce Williams (Manchester, N.H.) chipped in two points (1-7 FG) and a pair of rebounds.
- Bentley outshot Southern New Hampshire, 52.7 percent (29-55) to 36.6 percent (26-71), including 41.4 percent (12-29) to 34.3 percent (12-35) from deep. SNHU shot it better from the line, 71.4 percent (10-14) to 63.2 percent (12-19). The Falcons also owned a 60 percent (15-25) to 36.4 percent (12-33) advantage in the second half.
- The Penmen won the paint (26-24), scored more points off turnovers (13-5) and second chance points (17-6), and turned in a more impressive assist-to-turnover ratio (13-6), while the Falcons captured the glass (41-34) and received more scoring from their bench (12-4).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire had captured seven of its last eight, including six straight.
- Bentley leads the all-time series with SNHU, 34-29. While the teams have been nearly even over the last 27 meetings, the Falcons have captured nine of the most recent 13 and seven of nine. SNHU has lost four of the most recent six at home.
- Greene's double is his ninth of the season.
- Over the six seasons of head coach Jack Perri's tenure, the Penmen are now 52-20 (.722) at home, including 5-1 this season.
UP NEXT
- The Penmen are back in action Sunday, Jan. 5 (3:30 p.m.) when they play host to Pace University at the Stan Spirou Field House.
