MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior
Sean McCarthy (Cork, Ireland) dropped a season-high 30 points to lead the Saint Anselm College men's basketball team to a 107-99 non-conference win over Bridgeport on Saturday to close out the 2024 calendar year. Freshman
Erik Oliver-Bush (Trenton, N.J.) registered a career-high 27 points in the victory for the Hawks, who scored their most points in a game since December of 2023.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm returns to action on Thursday, January 2nd when they host Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference play at 7:30 p.m.
Score: Saint Anselm 107, Bridgeport 99
Records: Saint Anselm (7-4), Bridgeport (6-6)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Stoutenburgh Gymnasium)
Date: Saturday, December 21st, 2024
Attendance: 212
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Anselm started the game with an early 6-0 lead as junior Josh Morissette (Exeter, N.H.) finished a pair of fastbreak layups that were both set up by redshirt freshman Greg Cantwell (Glen Head, N.Y.).
- Bridgeport got on the board a little more than two minutes in with Malikai Delgado and Justin Hendrick each scoring layups to make it 6-4.
- Shortly after, McCarthy was able to get downhill and finish on consecutive possessions, which increased the Hawks' lead to 12-4.
- The Purple Knights responded with a 14-4 scoring run over the next three minutes to grab their first lead of the game, 18-16. Hendrick and Nick Traill knocked down one three-pointer each during that span for the visitors, while Jason Edokpayi provided his team with the game-tying and go-ahead baskets.
- The two teams then traded points over the next few minutes. Cantwell helped Saint Anselm get back on track with four quick points to give them a 23-22 lead midway through the first half.
- Oliver-Bush then started to heat up for the Hawks. The freshman went on a personal 8-0 scoring run after slamming home a fastbreak dunk, knocking down a triple, and sinking three free throws. That helped Saint Anselm push their lead to 33-22 with 8:43 left in the half.
- A few moments later, junior Juju Ramirez (Lawrence, Kan.) got in on the scoring for the Hawks by cashing in from long range to make it a 12-point game, but Hendrick answered with a three of his own for the Purple Knights to trim the deficit back down to nine points at the under eight-minute media timeout.
- Bridgeport's defense came out of the timeout with a purpose. They held Saint Anselm scoreless for nearly five minutes and were able to make it a one-possession game. Aliou Cisse poured in four points for his team during their 9-0 run.
- The Hawks, however, punched back and closed the first half by outscoring the Purple Knights, 10-5, over the final 2:30. McCarthy dropped in two more layups while Oliver-Bush threw down a posterizing and-one dunk, but neither play was bigger than a deep buzzer-beating three by Cantwell that gave Saint Anselm a 50-43 lead at halftime.
- The Hawks refused to cool off and opened the second half with a 9-2 scoring run. That gave them a 14-point lead, their largest of the game to that point. Ramirez converted on back-to-back layups before Cantwell knocked down another triple and finished at the rim during that sequence.
- Gabe Franklin ended the drought for the Purple Knights with a couple of midrange jumpers to cut the lead back down to 10 points, but the Hawks continued to attack the basket and made four free throws to keep their lead at a dozen with under 15 minutes to play.
- McCarthy kept Bridgeport at an arms length with two more buckets including an and-one that pushed the margin up to 17 points with the score at 70-53.
- The Purple Knights did not hold their heads for long as they quickly answered back with 10 of the game's next 12 points. Hendrick helped his side get back into the game with five points including a three-point play of his own to help the visitors trim the gap back down to single digits with the score at 72-63 and 11:23 remaining.
- Cisse and Hendrick continued to help Bridgeport spark a comeback as the tandem made it a six-point game. Cisse converted from close range and Hendrick cashed in a triple on their next offensive trip, but midrange jumpers by Cantwell and Morissette helped the Hawks push their lead back up to 10 points.
- Bridgeport continued to show their resilience and put together a 7-0 scoring run to make it 80-77. Franklin knocked down a three pointer for the visitors to cut the deficit down to three, but Saint Anselm was able to counter once more with an 8-1 run of their own to increase the lead back up to 88-78. Senior Jadon Archer (Enfield, Conn.) came up with a timely and-one layup during that surge for the Hawks.
- The two teams continued to go back and forth over the final six minutes of the game. McCarthy and Oliver-Bush combined for the next 15 Saint Anselm points to help preserve their double-digit lead and crack 100 points for the game with 2:27 remaining.
- Morissette sunk one last triple with under two minutes to go and the Purple Knights were unable to get closer than six points the rest of the way as the Hawks held on for the eight-point victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm shot the ball efficiently and went 37 for 70 (52.9 percent) from the floor. Bridgeport was a bit less efficient and went 37 for 88 (42.0 percent) from the field.
- The Hawks did not shoot it particularly well from long distance and only knocked down five of their 20 three point attempts (25.0 percent). The Purple Knights had the upper hand from deep and connected on 11 of their 28 long range attempts (39.3 percent).
- Both teams got to the free throw line often. Saint Anselm held a sizeable advantage in that area, making 28 of their 39 free throw attempts (71.8 percent). Bridgeport made 14 of their 21 shots at the foul line (66.7 percent).
- The battle on the boards was even with the Hawks holding a narrow 47-46 lead. Saint Anselm grabbed 11 offensive rebounds compared to 17 offensive boards hauled in by Bridgeport.
- In an extremely fast-paced affair, both teams made it a point to attack the basket. The two sides combined for 100 points in the paint with Saint Anselm leading in that area, 58-42. The Hawks also held a 38-25 advantage in fastbreak points and a 15-9 edge in second chance points.
- Bridgeport utilized a deep bench with 12 players seeing minutes. Seven of those players scored eight or more points. The Purple Knights bench ended up outscoring the Hawks bench as a result, 55-15.
- The game featured three ties and four lead changes, all of which came early in the first half in a game that featured Saint Anselm leading for a large portion of action.
- The Purple Knights made the most of a stingy full court press and turned 16 turnovers by the Hawks into 22 points. Saint Anselm recorded 11 points off of 12 Bridgeport giveaways.
- Defensively, the Hawks recorded six blocks and six steals, while the Purple Knights tallied four blocks and nine steals.
- As a team, Saint Anselm had 21 assists on their 37 made field goals. Bridgeport had 22 assists on their 37 made field goals.
- McCarthy led the Hawks in scoring with a game-high and season-high of 30 points (10-18 FG, 10-12 FT) in addition to 16 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. It was his sixth double-double of the season and the 17th of his career.
- Oliver-Bush also stood out for Saint Anselm. The freshman set a new career-high in scoring with 27 points (9-15 FG, 1-4 3PT, 8-10 FT) to go along with six assists and three rebounds.
- Cantwell was another Hawk who had a solid all-around game. He set new career-highs across the board with 15 points (5-9 FG, 2-5 3PT, 3-7 FT), nine rebounds, and five assists.
- For Bridgeport, five different players finished with double figures in the scoring department. The Purple Knights were led by Hendrick, who totaled 24 points (9-13 FG, 5-8 3PT, 1-1 FT), and Cisse, who had 18 points (7-20 FG, 4-8 FT) in addition to 11 rebounds.
- This marked the 54th all-time meeting between these two programs. Saint Anselm improves to 29-25 overall against Bridgeport in the series that began in 1948. The Hawks have now won the last four meetings against the Purple Knights and nine out of the last 10.
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