Sims scored 16 of his game-high 27 points in the first half for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Ryan Feeney)

CALDWELL, N.J. (November 12, 2021) - Stonehill College, receiving votes in the NABC Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll and ranked No. 5 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, shot 55.1-percent from the field and placed three in double-figures on its way to a 78-69 victory over Bloomfield College in non-conference men's basketball action on day one of the Caldwell University Conference Challenge on Corino Court at the Newman Center tonight.

The Details

• Senior Andrew Sims powered three from Stonehill in double-figures with a game-high 27 points, including 16 in the first half, on 10-of-14 shooting, converting 7-of-8 free-throws, to go with a game-high nine rebounds.
• Fifth-year guard Owen Chose scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half, finishing 5-for-12 shooting from the floor, including 3-for-6 from three-point distance, to draw within two points of becoming Stonehill's 42^nd 1,000-point scorer, while senior Isaiah Burnett, a transfer from the United States Naval Academy, contributed a career-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, six rebounds and six assists in his Skyhawks debut.
• Sophomore Andres Fulgencio led four from Bloomfield in double figures with 17 points, four rebounds and two steals, while freshman Wesley Robinson contributed ten points and a team-best eight rebounds off the bench for the Bears.
• Stonehill led start to finish, scoring the first five points of the game with a Burnett jumper and Chose three-pointer on its way to an eight-point lead (12-4) after a Josh Mack three-pointer less than five minutes in.

• Chose scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

  Stonehill stretched its lead to 11 (25-15) after a layup from sophomore Jackson Benigni with eight minutes left in the half.
• Bloomfield closed within four (28-24) with a layup from senior Tariq McKenith with two minutes left in the half.
• Stonehill carried a seven-point lead (34-27) into halftime and then ran out to a 12-point lead (43-31) after a Sims dunk less than three minutes into the second half, keyed by seven points from Chose as well.
• Stonehill's lead peaked at 15 (64-49) after another Sims dunk with eight minutes left and the Skyhawks kept Bloomfield at arm's length the rest of the way, converting 5-of-6 free-throws over the final 2:19 to seal the win.

Up Next

Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NE10) is right back in action on Saturday afternoon, when it faces host Caldwell University on day two of the Caldwell Conference Challenge at 4 p.m. The Skyhawks home opener is slated for Wednesday, November 17, against the University of Bridgeport at 7 p.m. Bloomfield (0-1, 0-0 CACC) faces Southern New Hampshire University tomorrow at 6 p.m.

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