WORCESTER, Mass. - Fifth-year
Tyler Arbuckle (Bristol, Conn.) scored a game-high 34 points, but the Saint Anselm College men's basketball team came up short against Assumption University on Saturday afternoon.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm is back on the road next week, traveling to Rindge, N.H. to take on Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday, February 7th.
Score: Saint Anselm 78, Assumption 90
Records: Saint Anselm 9-12 (7-8 NE10); Assumption 12-9 (8-7 NE10)
Location: Worcester, Mass. (Laska Gymnasium)
Date: Saturday, February 3, 2024
Attendance: 324
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Assumption had success offensively in the early going, scoring on their first three possessions of the game. After a made three-pointer about five minutes in, the Greyhounds were already on top, 15-4, while the Hawks had made just one field goal. Daouda Dembele had six points during that span for Assumption.
- Junior Sean McCarthy (Cork, Ireland) started to get the offensive in gear for Saint Anselm with back-to-back layups. That was followed by a tip-in offensive rebound by senior Matt Becker (Fairfield, Conn.), who then buried a three-pointer about midway through the first half, but Saint Anselm still trailed by 10 points.
- Scoring nine points during the final seven minutes of the half was Arbuckle, including two field goals in the final minute, but the Hawks trailed, 48-34, going into halftime after a buzzer-beating tip-in by the Greyhounds.
- Arbuckle continued to carry the load offensively for Saint Anselm to begin the second half, making consecutive jumpers to trim the lead back down to 10 points. After a made free throw by McCarthy, Arbuckle went on to make four straight field goals to cut the deficit to just five with Assumption in front, 52-47. The fifth-year guard rattled off 16 of the last 17 points for the Hawks at that point.
- Njavan Stewart gave Assumption some breathing room with five quick points of his own to push their lead back up to 10 with the lead at 61-51 and 13:24 remaining.
- With less than 10 minutes in the game, Arbuckle poured in another six straight points for the Hawks, but the Greyhounds still maintained a 12-point lead.
- Sophomore Josh Morissette (Exeter, N.H.) connected on his only three of the game with 5:45 to play. Arbuckle also cashed in from long range with three minutes to go, but Assumption led, 87-76.
- Assumption knocked down a few free throws late and did well to drain the rest of the clock out to hold on for their eighth conference win of the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Both teams shot above 50 percent in the game with Saint Anselm making 28 of their 54 shots (51.9%) and Assumption making 33 of their 63 shots (52.4%). The Hawks made five of 14 (35.7%) from long distance while Assumption went eight of 18 (44.4%) from deep.
- Saint Anselm also excelled from the free throw line, knocking down 17 of 21 (81.0%) at the stripe while Assumption made 16 of their 21 (76.2%) free throw attempts.
- There weren't many turnovers in the contest with Assumption committing eight and Saint Anselm committing seven. The Greyhounds had four steals and the Hawks had three, while both sides blocked two shots.
- Assumption had the edge on the boards, hauling in 35 rebounds to just 24 for the Hawks. The Greyhounds outscored the Hawks, 42-20, in points in the paint. The game was mostly played in the half court with just two combined fastbreak points.
- Arbuckle led the Hawks with 34 points (14-18 FG, 2-4 3-FG, 4-4 FT) and McCarthy added 22 points (6-13 FG, 0-1 3-FG, 10-11 FT).
- Five Greyhounds finished with double digitis in scoring, including Stewart who registered a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
- This marked the 132nd meeting between these programs. Saint Anselm is now 73-59 overall against Assumption.
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