Raymond drained a career-high seven three-pointers on her way to a game-high 24 points tonight (PHOTO BY Saylor Murphy)

Raymond cans career-high seven three-pointers for game-high 24 points

WALTHAM, Mass. (February 3, 2022) – Stonehill College built a big first half lead, but rallied late in regulation, before securing a 76-73 overtime triumph over rival Bentley University, ranked No. 20 in the D2SIDA Top 25 poll, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action inside the Charles A. Dana Athletic Center tonight. 

Leaders

Stonehill
Kayla Raymond Senior, Forward: Game-high 24 points (8-for-16, 7-for-11 threes), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocked shots.
Isabella Santoro Senior, Guard: 16 points (4-for-9, 7-for-10 FTs), 8 rebounds, 2 steals.
Sophie Glidden Senior, Forward: 12 points (5-for-9), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, blocked shot.
Emily Bramanti Senior, Guard: 10 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, steal. 

Bentley
Autumn Ceppi Postgrad, Forward: 14 points (6-for-13), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocked shots.
Amanda Kabantu Freshman, Guard: 14 points (7-for-10 FTs), 4 rebounds, 2 steals.
Kari Brekke Senior, Guard: 13 points (6-for-6 FTs), 5 rebounds, 2 assists. 

How it Happened

• Santoro added 16 points and eight rebounds, draining two free-throws late in OT to seal it (PHOTO BY Saylor Murphy)

  Stonehill scored the first ten points of the game, including a pair of three-pointers from Raymond, on its way to an 18-point lead (29-11) after a quarter of play.
• Raymond and Bramanti combined for 22 points in the opening quarter as the Skyhawks shot 61.1-percent from the floor by missing just seven shots (three from deep) as the visitors buried 7-of-10 from beyond the arc.
• Bentley made just 5-of-19 (26.3%) shots in the opening frame, including 1-for-6 (16.7%) from beyond the arc.
• A 9-2 run stretched Stonehill's advantage to a game-high 24 points (48-24) after a three-pointer by junior Mia Kelly with four minutes to play in the first half.
• The two teams combined to score 46 points in the second quarter, both shooting 50% from the floor, as Stonehill held serve to carry its 18-point lead (52-34) into halftime.
• Bentley went to work and held Stonehill just seven points in the third quarter, using a 14-2 run to close the gap to six (56-50) with 2:23 remaining in the frame after four-straight points from sophomore Janessa Gonzalez.
• Ceppi drilled a three to draw Bentley within four (59-55) heading to the fourth quarter and the Falcons pulled even and then grabbed its first lead of the game (62-61) with 4:15 to play, after Kabantu split free-throws on consecutive trips.
• Bentley took a three-point lead (64-61) with two free-throws by sophomore Maggie Whitmore with 3:28 to play, but Stonehill rallied to regain the lead (65-64) after Raymond split two free-throws with 1:56 to go.
• Bentley's lead was three again (68-65) after two free-throws by Brekke with 44-seconds to play, but Raymond's seventh three of the game knotted the score with 38-ticks to go.
• Both teams had chances to win the game in the last half-minute, but the game would head to overtime.
• Bentley grabbed a quick four-point edge (72-68) on free-throws from Kabantu and Brekke in the first minute of overtime, but Stonehill rallied to reclaim the lead (74-72) after two Kelly free-throws with 45-seconds to play.
• The Falcons didn't score a basket from the floor in the extra session, scoring all its points (5-for-6) at the free-throw line, while Stonehill made just one basket (1-for-3) and made 6-of-8 free-throws to secure the win as Santoro sealed the win with two free-throws with seven seconds remaining.

Noteworthy

• Raymond posted her third 20-point game of the season (17^th career), marking the 11^th double-figure scoring output of the season (49^th career) in 12 games played, to move within 21 points of becoming Stonehill's 33^rd 1,000-point scorer.
• Raymond has now scored 979 points in 59 career games (16.6 ppg).
• Santoro posted her sixth double-figure game of the season (17^th career), finishing two points shy of her season-best.
• Glidden scored in double-figures for the fourth time this season (fifth career).
• Bramanti scored all ten of her points in the opening quarter, posting her 10^th double-figure game of the season (23^rd career).
• Stonehill is 25-10 over Raymond's career when she is its leading scorer.
• After shooting a combined 48.5-percent (16-for-33) from the floor over the middle two quarters to get back into the game, Bentley made just 2-of-15 (13.3%) of its shots over the fourth quarter and overtime.
• Tonight's game opens a February stretch for Stonehill that will see it play nine games over the final three weeks of the regular season. The Skyhawks are not scheduled to have more than three days off (just twice) between games over the next 17 days.
• Stonehill has won four of its last five and five of seven to fight its way back above .500 for the first time this season heading into the stretch run.

Up Next

Stonehill (7-6, 6-5 NE10) is right back in action on Saturday, when it hosts Saint Anselm College for its annual Play4 Kay "Pink Game" at Merkert Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. The game is also Skyhawks Alumnae Day, a makeup of the Alumnae gathering snowed out last Saturday. Bentley (11-5, 9-3 NE10) visits Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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