Sims scored 16 of his game-high 26 points in the first half as the Skyhawks jumped out to a lead (PHOTO BY Saylor Murphy)

EASTON, Mass. - Stonehill College, receiving votes in this week's National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, held rival Bentley University to 36.8-percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers in posting its third-straight win with a 70-59 triumph in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

The Details

• Senior Andrew Sims powered the Stonehill offense, scoring 16 of his game-high 26 points in the first half, finishing 10-of-15 shooting from the floor, with six rebounds.
• Senior Isaiah Burnett and sophomore Jackson Benigni each added 13 points for Stonehill. Burnett made 6-of-13 shots and added three assists and five steals, while Benigni grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and dished out two assists.
• Postgrad Jordan Mello-Klein was among three Bentley players that finished with ten points, adding seven rebounds and three assists, while senior Brian Wright-Kinsey tallied ten points, four boards, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal.

• Burnett added 13 points and five steals for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Saylor Murphy)

  Stonehill jumped out to a ten point lead (16-6) after a three-pointer from senior Myles Hanson seven minutes in.
• Bentley pulled back within four after a basket from Wright-Kinsey midway through the half, but Stonehill followed with eight straight points, including six by Sims, to grab a 12-point lead (25-13) with 7:37 left in the half.
• Stonehill stretched its lead to 15 (39-24) at the half and extended it to 17 (43-26) three minutes into the second after Burnett quickly stole the inbounds pass off a Benigni layup and added another basket.
• Bentley didn't go quietly, slowly chipping into the lead and clawing back within eight (58-50) on a layup from Laput with 6:26 still to play.
• Bentley drew within six (60-54) after a layup inside by postgrad Adria Amabilino Perez with four minutes to go, but Stonehill was able to close the game out at the line, icing the game (65-54) after a Sims layup with 1:47 remaining.

Up Next

Stonehill (4-1, 2-0 NE10) returns to action on Saturday, when it visits Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut, for a non-conference matchup at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks are back at Merkert Gym on Sunday to host Molloy College for a non-conference contest at 1 p.m. Bentley (2-1, 1-1 NE10) hosts Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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