STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Daniels – 18 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 3-FG, 2-4 FT), 2 rebounds
• Senior Kurtis Henderson (Brockton, Mass.) – 14 points (5-11 FG, 3-5 3-FG, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds, 5 assists
• Junior Royce Williams (Manchester, N.H.) – career-high 14 points (5-8 FG, 1-4 3-FG, 3-3 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 steals
• Senior Derrick Grant Jr. (Piscataway, N.J.) – 9 points (4-7 FG, 1-2 FT), 7 rebounds

 KEY MOMENTS

• Southern New Hampshire stormed out to an 18-5 lead over the opening 6:12, as Daniels drilled a trio of 3-pointers to lead the way with nine points during the stretch. The margin was still 13 over two-and-a-half minutes later when Assumption ripped off 11 straight points as part of a 15-3 rush that slashed its deficit to 26-25 with 4:52 remaining in the first half. A triple from Henderson in the final minute sent the game to the break tied at 32-all.
• The Greyhounds would take their first lead of the night at 41-39 less than three-and-a-half minutes into the second stanza and then grabbed their largest lead at 51-46 with 12:21 to go. SNHU responded with a 13-3 run that featured five different scorers – including Williams, who led the way with five points – and sent the visitors back in front, 59-54, with 6:22 left.
• Assumption answered with a 10-2 blitz that leapfrogged it back in front, 64-61, with 1:34 on the clock. Daniels came up clutch, however, knocking down his fourth trey of the night less than 30 seconds later to pull the Penmen even. Assumption called timeout with 23 seconds left, but then turned the ball over, with Daniels dropping in a layup to give SNHU a 66-64 edge with 12 seconds left. Another turnover and pair of Williams free throws made it a four-point game with less than 10 seconds on the clock. The Greyhounds notched a bucket and the Penmen sank one of two at the line to give the hosts a chance to tie it with 1.2 ticks remaining, but were late in getting off the nearly-full-court heave.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Senior Paul Greene (Freeport, Bahamas) posted six points (2-5 FG, 2-2 FT) and nine rebounds.
• Senior Noah Harris (Manalapan, N.J.) scored three points (1-7 FG, 1-6 3-FG) and dished four assists.
• Senior Jhamyl Fricas (Lawrence, Mass.) netted three points (1-1 FG, 1-1 3-FG).
• Freshman Dante Green (Dix Hills, N.Y.) added two points (2-4 FT), a block and a steal.
• Southern New Hampshire outshot Assumption, 44.4 percent (24-54) to 39.7 percent (23-58), including 43.5 percent (10-23) to 27.3 percent (6-22) from downtown. Assumption was better from the line, 77.8 percent (14-18) to 68.8 percent (11-16).
• The Penmen narrowly won the glass (35-33), while the Setters captured the paint (32-26), scored more points off turnovers (21-18), second chance points (10-8) and on the fast break (20-7), received from scoring from its bench (35-19) and turned in a better assist-to-turnover ratio (15/18-13/22).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire has captured nine of its last 11, including eight of nine.
• Assumption, ranked 24th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Coaches Poll, while receiving votes in the Division II College Sport Communicators (D2CSC) Media Poll, had won 11 straight and was the only team left unbeaten in NE10 play.
• The Penmen were just coming off a 64-62 win over No. 7/13 Pace University, which was a perfect 13-0, on Sunday.
• SNHU leads the all-time series with Assumption, 39-17, and has won 17 of the last 21 meetings, including six of eight, though Assumption has won four of the last 10. The Penmen have also won eight of the last 11 in Worcester, but the Greyhounds have captured two of the last four.
• Daniels, who has scored in double figures in all but one contest this season, has been SNHU's leading scorer in each of the last six games, averaging 21.8 points per game over that stretch.

UP NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Saturday, Jan. 11 (3:30 p.m.) when they take on Adelphi University.
• The next home game for SNHU is Tuesday, Jan. 14 (7:30 p.m.) when it plays host to cross-town rival Saint Anselm College at the Stan Spirou Field House.