When and Where: February 15, 2025 – Springfield, Mass. (Butova Gymnasium)
Score: American International College 88, Southern New Hampshire University 76
Records: SNHU 11-12 (7-10 NE10), AIC 12-13 (5-12 NE10)
Junior
Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) recorded 20 points and sophomore
Ava Winterburn (New Boston, N.H.) notched a career-high 17, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team could not overcome a rocky second half of the first quarter in an 88-76 loss to American International College on Saturday afternoon at Butova Gymnasium.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Gordon – 20 points (8-14 FG, 4-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 assists
- Winterburn – career-high 17 points (5-11 FG, 5-10 3-FG, 2-3 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists
- Freshman Samantha Pfeil (Methuen, Mass.) – career-high 12 points (4-9 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 2-3 FT)
- Senior Sydnie DeVries (Monson, Mass.) – 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 4 assists
KEY MOMENTS
- Southern New Hampshire was within three with less than four-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening quarter when American Int'l reeled off 11 straight to widen its advantage to 21-7 with 2:30 left. AIC led, 27-14, after one.
- The Yellow Jackets went up by as many as 14 once again in the second, before SNHU scored 20 of the next 29 to slash its deficit to 39-36 with under two minutes on the clock. Pfeil paced the stretch with eight points, while Winterburn and Brennan added six and four, respectively. AIC would increase its lead to 48-42 at the half.
- AIC pushed its lead to 10 three times in the third quarter and wound up leading, 66-58, heading to the final frame.
- The Penmen would get as close as 77-71 on a Winterburn trey with 3:26 to go, but a 9-2 run for the Yellow Jackets sealed it, as they went up, 86-73, with under a minute on the clock.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sophomore Abby Wager (Mansfield, Mass.) registered seven points (2-9 FG, 3-3 FT), and four assists.
- Freshman Taylor Brennan (Southbury, Conn.) tallied six points (2-9 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and six assists
- Sophomore Madison Hughes (Columbia, Conn.) chipped in two points (1-2 FG) and two rebounds.
- American Int'l outshot Southern New Hampshire, 47.1 percent (33-70) to 41.3 percent (26-63), including 34.4 percent (11-32) to 31.8 percent (7-22) from beyond the arc. The Penmen were plus-6 from the line and shot it better, 81 percent (17-21) to 61.1 percent (11-18).
- The Yellow Jackets captured the glass (41-36) and the paint (38-30), scored more points off turnovers (18-2), second chance points (9-5) and on the fast break (16-7), received more scoring from their bench (23-22) and submitted a more impressive assist-to-turnover ratio (16/9-20/13).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire had won three of five, including two straight.
- American Int'l leads the all-time series with Southern New Hampshire, 27-20, and wins for the second straight time after snapping a nine-game losing streak against SNHU in a meeting in Manchester back on Jan. 18 (75-68). The Penmen, who have captured 11 of the last 14 against the Yellow Jackets, had also been victorious in five of the last six, including four-in-a-row, on the road against AIC, which had not won a home game versus SNHU since March 1, 2019 (79-55).
- The five triples for Winterburn are the most in her career.
- The 12 points for Pfeil marks the first double-digit scoring performance of her career.
- SNHU drops to 71-38 (.651) since the 2021-22 season started.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 19 (5:30 p.m.) when they take on cross-town rival Saint Anselm College.
- SNHU is home for the final time in the regular season Saturday, Feb. 22 (1:30 p.m.) when it plays host to Adelphi University on Senior Day at the Stan Spirou Field House.
