Today: Mar 29, 2024

Men’s Basketball loses 58-57 against SNHU

Jaylen CarrSports Editor

The Owls lost a close game against Southern New Hampshire University, SNHU, 58-57, despite forcing 21 turnovers.  

Coming into the game the Owls won their first home game against Caldwell University 72-69 on Nov. 16.  Guard and Forward Ulyen Coleman, a senior, scored his 1,000th career point in the game in 37 minutes of play.  

SNHU came into the matchup against the Owls with a 2-1 record and one of the Northeast 10, NE10, top teams. The Owls were able to get contributions from their bench throughout the game. 

 Guard Sean James, a sophomore, scored 12 points off the bench while going three for three from the three-point line. James was one point shy from matching SNHU’s 13 total bench points. 

 “I just tried to stay ready,” James said. “The good thing about coming off the bench is that you get to read the game before being in it.” 

The Owls led 29-27 at the half and built some momentum to start the second half. SNHU had 16 turnovers in the first half which helped the Owls take the early lead.  

As the second half started, SNHU came out and dominated the Owls in rebounding.  SNHU had a plus 15 margin, 39-24, in rebounding which helped secure the one-point victory.  

As the clock started to tick down in the second half, SNHU was trying to take time off the clock, but they had to shoot the ball in order to beat the 24- second shot clock, which they did. But  in the end, the Owls were not able to secure the rebound to have a chance to win the game.  

 In the closing seconds of the game, SNHU grabbed an offensive rebound after a missed shot to seal the win. 

Forward Kazell Stewart a sophomore, said there were no positive takeaways from this loss. There are many aspects in the game the team has to improve upon before the next game, Stewart said.  

“We just got to be better,” Stewart said. “We have to be stronger mentally.” 

Stewart helped the Owls by scoring 12 points and shooting 62% from the field. He also helped the Owls force 21 turnovers by contributing  2 steals and 2 blocks.  

Head Coach Scott Burrell said the team gave away this game and needed to win against a conference rival.  

“It was a winnable game, and we didn’t compete for 40 minutes,” Burrell said. 

Coach Burrell was not pleased with the team’s effort and commitment to finish a game when they had a lead throughout the game.  

The team played “nonchalant and with no urgency,” said Burrell.  

Burrell said the team has to improve on everything after the one-point loss. But the major area of improvement is communication and running plays. 

He said There were no positive takeaways from the game. 

“We can’t break down as a team,” Stewart said. “We have to crash the glass.” 

The Owls allowed 14 second chance points and 16 offensive rebounds. The leading rebounder was Guard Marty Silvera, a sophomore, and Stewart who both grabbed 5 total rebounds.   

 Coleman scored eight points in the lost in 34 minutes of playing time. Center Zack Penn, a senior, one of the Owls top scorers, was held under 10 points despite playing the second most minutes of the game.  

Penn struggled shooting the ball throughout the game and managed to only grab one rebound for the Owls.  

“We all have to be able to fight until the end,” Stewart said. 

James said despite the loss, the team has to stick together and learn from this experience.  

“Times are going to get tough, but we just have to stick together in order to get through it,” James said.  

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