STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (11-9, 7-5 GNAC) rolled past Norwich University (11-11, 5-9 GNAC), 76-65, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball action at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday.
Today's result will almost certainly have playoff implications, as the victory gives the Monks sole possession of second place in the GNAC North Division with five conference games remaining. The top four seeds in the North and South Divisions advance to the GNAC Tournament, which begins with a quarterfinal round on Tuesday, February 21st. The top two seeds in each division earn the right to host a first round playoff tilt.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks held a 37-36 edge at halftime, but the Cadets rallied with a 9-0 run early in the second stanza to claim a five-point (49-44) lead with 14:12 remaining. St. Joe's countered by netting eight unanswered points as senior Ashtyn Abbott (Farmingdale, Maine) closed the surge with a three to give the hosts a 52-49 advantage with 10:33 on the clock.
As it played out, the Monks led for the remainder of the contest and claimed a game-high 18-point (75-57) cushion on the heels of a 21-4 run that spanned nine minutes. Junior guard Camryn Yorke (Auburn, Maine) capped the outbreak with a pair of freebies with 35 seconds left.
The Cadets mounted an 8-1 run – including a buzzer-beater three-pointer - in the final 24 seconds, but the effort proved to be too little, too late.
STATS OF THE GAME:
The Monks won the battle in the paint with advantages in rebounds (43-28), second-chance points (16-5), and points in the paint (34-26)…St. Joe's also posted an 18-2 lead in fast break points with a 17-9 margin in points off turnovers.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Abbott was perfect from the floor (7-7), downtown (3-3), and the FT line and notched his fifth double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds; the senior forward also dealt three assists and blocked three shots
- Yorke scored a career-high 17 points with five rebounds and two assists
- Graduate guard Griffin Foley (Portland, Maine) tallied 14 points, five assists, two rebounds, and a pair of steals
- Senior guard Ian Jennings (Milton, Vt.) provided a spark off the bench with seven points, three rebounds, and two steals
- Sophomore guard Teagan Hynes (York, Maine) chipped in with six points, eight rebounds, three steals, and a pair of assists
LEADERS – NORWICH:
- Sophomore guard Kohlby Murray (Fair Haven, Vt.) was 7-for-9 from downtown with 25 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals
- Freshman forward Joe Joe DaBrul (Shelburne, Vt.) recorded 13 points, six. Boards, and four assists
- Graduate forward Donovan Lewis, Jr. (Savannah, Ga.) added 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
Saint Joseph's is now 22-7 in the history of the series with Norwich University, a team that defeated the Monks by an 80-72 margin in Northfield earlier this season (1/11/23).
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will play at Colby-Sawyer College on Monday in a GNAC contest set to start at 7:30 PM.
