Stonehill Rolls Past District of Columbia, 69-45

Skyhawks hold Firebirds to 29% shooting, Rudowitz nets 21 in victory

Boxscore 

Senior A.J. Rudowitz led Stonehill past UDC with his second-straight 20-point performance, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds.

EASTON, Mass. (November 21, 2009) - Stonehill College opened its home schedule with a comfortable 69-45 victory over the University of the District of Columbia in non-conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Senior forward A.J. Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) led Stonehill with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, including 1-for-2 from three-point range, while converting 2-of-4 free-throws with seven rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot. Sophomore Ivan Almeida (Praia, Cape Verde) added 13 points (12 first half) on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, to go with six rebounds (five offensive), three steals and two blocks. Junior Mike Kernan (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for the Skyhawks, while senior Randall Stallworth (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) dished a game-high seven assists.

Sophomore Nigel Munson (Washington, D.C./Damatha) led three UDC players in double-figures with 13 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Freshman Kenneth James (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) added 11 points, three assists and two steals off the bench for the Firebirds, while classmate Dyrek Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bedford Academy) chipped in ten points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Stonehill finished shooting 44.1-percent (26-for-59) from the field, including 46.2% (12-26) in the second half, and posted a 49-34 rebounding advantage. UDC shot 28.8-percent (17-for-59) from the field, but just 5-for-29 (17.2%) in the first half, including 1-of-10 (10%) in the first half, as the Skyhawks built a 19-point halftime lead.

After two early ties, Stonehill build a double-digit lead (16-6) it would not relinquish after a layup from sophomore Patrick Lee (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) with 13:19 left in the first half. The basket was part of an overall 15-2 run that put the Skyhawks up 13 (19-6) after an Almeida three with 12:55 to go in the frame. Stonehill pushed its lead to 20 points (31-11) following an Almeida put back with 4:59 left in the first half.

Stonehill's halftime lead was 19 (34-15) and the Skyhawks opened the second half with a 13-5 burst to push that margin to a game-high 27 (47-20) after a pair of Stallworth free-throws with 13:52 left in the game. The Skyhawks lead wouldn't get below 20 the rest of the way.

Stonehill (1-1, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday when it opens its Northeast-10 Conference schedule against 15^th-ranked and conference preseason favorites Merrimack College in Merkert Gym at 7:30 p.m. District of Columbia (0-3) visits Mansfield University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.