MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior Victor Joshua (New Haven, Conn.) hit for a career-high 25 points, including a game-best 18 in the second half, but the Saint Anselm College men's basketball team lost a tough one to American International College in the Northeast-10 Championship title game, 85-79, Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 1,106 at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
The Hawks lose for the fourth time in 14 games, including just the second time in 10 contests at Stoutenburgh, to drop to 19-9 overall. Saint Anselm, seeded second in the Northeast Division, was playing in its first title game since 2006 and hosting the championship bout at home for the first time since 1996.
The Hawks, who entered the day having won 31 of 38, including 12 of 13 and seven straight against AIC, fall to the Yellow Jackets in regulation for the first time in 16 contests dating back to a 58-52 road loss Jan. 25, 2003. AIC defeats Saint Anselm at Stoutenburgh for just the fourth time in the last 30 meetings to snap a six-game road skid against the Hawks. The last time the Yellow Jackets had left the Hilltop victorious was Jan. 24, 2004 following an 86-77 overtime triumph. AIC improves to 23-6 on the season. Both teams will wait and see where the NCAA Selection Committee has them seeded in the East Region for the NCAA Tournament, which begins next weekend.
Saint Anselm falls to 45-27 (.625) all-time in the Northeast-10 Championship, including 12-3 as a No. 2 seed, 7-4 in the title game and 8-4 against AIC, which captures its first championship against the Hawks in four tries.
Joshua was 7-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-6 from behind the arc, and 8-for-10 from the stripe to go along with three rebounds and a pair of assists. Senior Chris Santo (Cherry Hill, N.J.) backed that effort with 20 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 3-FG, 1-1 FT), including 13 in the opening half, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Classmate Roy Mabrey (Belmar, N.J.) notched his first double-double of the season with 14 points (5-18 FG, 4-13 3-FG) and 11 rebounds, which matched his career high, to go with two assists. Sophomore Harrison Taggart (Wallingford, Vt.) posted 13 points (5-11 FG, 2-7 3-FG, 1-1 FT) – 11 of which came in the second frame – eight boards and five helpers.
Cameron Dobbs led AIC with a game-high 27 points, while Marcus Porter registered 23 points and 11 rebounds and Bobby Harris added 20 points, nine boards and four assists.
In a back-and-forth battle that featured eight ties and 18 lead changes, the game was knotted at 72-all with 1:25 left when Porter made a tough shot through traffic in the paint to give the Yellow Jackets the lead for good. On the ensuing possession, Santo tried to spin past a double-team down low and had the ball knocked off his leg and out of bounds.
AIC made the Hawks pay as Dobbs came off a screen at the right wing and drilled a contested 3-pointer to make it a two-possession game at 77-72 with 40 seconds on the clock. Saint Anselm missed a 3 at the other end and Harris would make 7 of 8 from the line inside the final 24 seconds to seal the win as the Hawks crept no closer than 84-79 with less than five seconds left.
AIC outshot Saint Anselm, 50.8 percent (33-65) to 43.3 percent (29-67), while the Hawks were slightly better from long range, 34.4 percent (11-32) to 31.6 percent (6-19). Saint Anselm also shot a better percentage at the line, but attempted fewer free throws (12) than AIC made (13). Rebounding was even at 37-37, while the Yellow Jackets owned the paint, 44-24, and the Hawks featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (14/8-7/7).
AIC jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before two free throws from Joshua and a three-point play from Santo gave the Hawks a 5-2 lead just 1:34 in. Four straight points from Porter triggered a 9-2 counter-run for the Yellow Jackets, who went back in front, 11-7, with 16:10 remaining in the opening half.
With the margin still at four over two minutes later, four points from Santo powered a 9-2 stretch that put the Hawks back on top, 18-15 with 10:18 to play. The game, which featured four ties and 10 lead changes in the opening stanza, was knotted at 25 when six points from Dobbs gave AIC its largest lead of the half at 34-27with 3:13 to go.
The teams then traded baskets before a Joshua free throw and a Santo left-wing trey trimmed Saint Anselm's halftime deficit to 36-33.
Two baskets from Porter opened a seven-point lead for the Yellow Jackets just 45 seconds into the second half, but five straight points from senior Mark Schulze (Townsend, Mass.) sparked a 17-5 burst that featured six points from Mabrey and put the Hawks in front, 50-45, with 16:17 to play.
AIC responded with an 8-0 counter-run that was buoyed by four points from Trahmier Burrell and gave the Yellow Jackets back control at 53-50 with 13:49 left. After the teams traded baskets twice, Taggart canned back-to-back 3s to leapfrog Saint Anselm back in front, 60-57 with 11:39 remaining.
Five points from Burrell powered an 11-4 swing that gave AIC a 68-64 advantage with 6:55 on the clock before a Joshua trey and Taggart jumper put the hosts up by one, 69-68, a minute later. Four straight points from Porter handed the lead back to the visitors, but Joshua answered by going 3-for-4 from the line to forge a 72-72 tie with 2:29 left.
Schulze chipped in seven points (3-7 FG, 1-2 3-FG) and two steals.
The Hawks will now wait and learn where and who they will play in the NCAA Tournament, which begins Saturday, March 14. The NCAA Selection Show will air Sunday, March 8 at 10:30 p.m. HERE. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
