Box Score
MANCHESTER, N.H. – In a matchup of two of the top teams in the East Region, #12 Saint Anselm College suffered a 99-94 setback to Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium in Manchester, N.H.
The Hawks (14-2, 9-2 NE-10) had their eight game winning-streak snapped with the defeat, while Southern Connecticut improves to 14-3 overall and 9-1 in the NE-10 with their fifth-straight win.
Four players scored in double-figures for the Hawks led by 28 points and seven rebounds from Mike McCahey (Clarkstown, N.Y.). Victor Joshua (New Haven, Conn.) added 22 points and seven assists, while Chris Braley (Newport, Maine) recorded his fourth double-double of the year with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Harrison Taggart (Wallingford, Vt.) rounded out the top scorers with 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Ryan Hartung (Haverhill, Mass.) knocked down a pair of three-pointers to chip in six points off the bench.
Desmond Williams led Southern Connecticut with 31 points on 11-of-24 shooting to go with six assists and three steals in the win. Isaiah McLeod connected on all four of his three-point attempts en route to 21 points off the bench, while Michael Mallory went 3-for-3 on triples and scored 19 points. Austin Carter corralled a game-high 18 rebounds and blocked a pair of shots.
Both teams shot well from the field as the Hawks knocked down 53.4% (31-of-58) of their attempts in the game while Southern Connecticut connected on 50% (36-of-72) of their shots. Saint Anselm hit 55% (11-of-20) of their three pointers, while the Owls nearly doubled their percentage from beyond the arc for the year, hitting 11-of-17 (64.7%) triples in the game.
The Hawks won the rebounding battle 37-30, but committed 15 turnovers compared to just four for the visitors, which Southern Connecticut converted into 24 points off turnovers.
The Owls jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in the opening half and eventually took a 21-12 lead following a jumper from Isaiah McLeod with 12:28 to play. McCahey hit a layup and Joshua knocked down two free throws, before Hartung hit his first three of the game to cut the deficit to only 26-22. Saint Anselm continued to chip away and a triple from McCahey followed by a layup by Joshua tied the game at 32-all with 5:40 remaining.
McCahey put the Hawks on top 36-34 with a layup inside, but the Owls rifled off nine-straight points to pull ahead 43-36 as the game entered the final minute. McCahey canned another three to pull back within four, but Michael Mallory was fouled taking a three at the end of the half and hit 2-of-3 at the charity stripe to give the Owls a 45-39 lead headed into the break.
Victor Joshua scored five-straight points to open the second half and make it a 45-44 ballgame, but Mallory answered with a three to go back up by four. The two teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, and the Hawks finally pulled ahead on two McCahey free throws that made it a 56-55 game with 15:06 to play. Chris Braley extended the lead to 59-55 with a triple from the wing, but four-straight points from the Owls gave the game its fifth tie at 59-59.
Southern Connecticut eventually pulled ahead 75-69 following a jumper from Desmond Williams, and this time it was Harrison Taggart who pulled the Hawks back into the game, scoring five-straight points, to make it a 75-74 game with 7:57 remaining. That would be as close as the Hawks would get however, as Southern Connecticut had the answer every time the Hawks pulled to within one possession.
McCahey scored on an offensive rebound to make it a 95-92 game in the final minute, but Desmond Williams hit a fade-away jumper with the shot clock dwindling down to go back up by two possessions. Victor Joshua scored inside to cut the deficit back to three, but the Hawks came up empty on their last possessions and the Owls hung on for the 99-94 victory.
The Hawks return to action on Wednesday night when they travel to American International for an NE-10 matchup at 7:30 p.m.
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