Sophomore Patrick Lee led Stonehill with a career-high 15 points to go with six rebounds off the bench today.

Stonehill Rides First Half Surge Past New Haven,
72-58

61.5-percent shooting gives Skyhawks insurmountable 18-point halftime lead

Boxscore 

EASTON, Mass. (January 16, 2010) - Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, built an 18-point halftime lead and never looked back in posting a 72-58 victory over the University of New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Sophomore Patrick Lee (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) led a balanced Stonehill scoring effort which saw four players figure in double-digits with a career-high 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting from the field while converting all three free-throw attempts to go with six rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. Senior A.J. Rudowitz (Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township) added 14 points, on 6-of-8 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

Junior Daniel Heppert (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) and sophomore Ivan Almeida (Praia, Cape Verde) each chipped in ten points. Heppert also grabbed seven rebounds, while Almeida contributed three boards, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

Senior Cassius Chaney (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) posted a double-double to lead New Haven with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds - notching nearly half of the Chargers 27 rebounds on the day. Freshman C.J. Ruskay (Trumbull, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall) led New Haven with 15 points of the bench on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 3-for-6 from three-point range.

Senior A.J. Rudowitz contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Stonehill finished shooting 50-percent (27-for-54) from the field after a blistering 61.5% (16-26) shooting effort in the first half. The Skyhawks, who missed just three shots (15-18) inside the three-point arc in the half, built their 18-point (39-21) halftime lead by also limiting New Haven to just 28.6% (8-28) shooting in the opening 20-minutes. New Haven finished shooting 41.1-percent (23-56) in the contest after rebounding to make 53.6% (15-28) of its shots in the second half.

Stonehill out-scored New Haven 15-4 at the free-throw line by converting a season-high matching 78.9% (15-19) of its attempts. The Skyhawks also won the rebounding battle for the 15^th time in 16 outings this season with a 38-27 advantage.

New Haven led by four (17-13) after a Ruskay three with 10:43 left in the first half, but Stonehill reeled off a 14-0 run in the next four-plus minutes to regain the lead and open a ten-point margin (27-17) after a jumper from senior Randall Stallworth (Toms River, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) with 6:08 to go before the break.

A Ruskay three and Chaney free-throw pulled New Haven back within six (27-21) with four minutes left, but Stonehill answered with the final 12 points of the half to run its lead to 18 (39-21) at the break. Freshman Brian Hamor (Guilderland, N.Y./Bishop Gibbons) sparked the run with a three and Lee totaled seven of his 11 first half points during that stretch. 

Junior Daniel Heppert contributed ten points and seven boards.

While Stonehill's lead never dipped inside double-figures the rest of the way, New Haven trailed by 13 (51-38) after a second-chance basket by senior Kelvin Jackson (Upper Middleboro, Md./Gwynn Park) with 11:56 to play. The Skyhawks sealed the win with a 14-2 run over the next six minutes to open a game-high 25-point lead (67-42) after two free-throws by Almeida with 5:45 remaining.

Stonehill (13-3, 10-1 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts American International College at 7:30 p.m. The athletic department, in association with the College's Office of Campus Ministry for the Congregation of the Holy Cross, will be accepting donations to a Haitian Relief Fund while also donating $2.00 from every adult ticket and $1.00 from every student and senior citizen ticket to the Holy Cross Mission Center at the University of Notre Dame and transferred directly to the Congregation's relief efforts in Haiti. Admission to the games is $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for students and senior citizens. Those wishing to contribute in addition to the ticket shares may make personal checks payable to Stonehill College, c/o Haiti Relief Fund, and dropped off in a donation basket at the ticket table. Cash donations will also be accepted. 100-percent of all monies donated will go directly to the relief efforts.

New Haven (2-13, 2-9 NE-10) visits Saint Michael's College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.