FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2015
Penmen and Owls to Meet in Tuesday's Regional Final
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Two NE-10 teams will meet in Tuesday night's East Region Final with a berth in the Elite Eight at stake as Southern New Hampshire and Southern Connecticut earned victories during Sunday night's action.
#2 Southern New Hampshire 59, #6 University of the Sciences 53 | BOX SCORE
Trailing 42-32 with just under 12 minutes remaining, second-seeded Southern New Hampshire turned up the defensive pressure and outscored No. 6 seed University of the Sciences 27-11 the rest of the way to post a 59-53 win in the semifinal round of the 2015 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship East Regional Sunday evening at Butova Gymnasium.
The Penmen improve to 23-7 and advance to Tuesday's regional title game, their first regional final appearance since 1997, while the Devils, who were making their first-ever NCAA appearance, finish the season 25-6.
Southern New Hampshire was led by senior Aleksandar Dobrovic, pictured, who finished with 16 points, five rebounds and six steals, totaling 12 of his 16 points in the second half. Junior Rodney Sanders was 6-8 from the floor and totaled 14 points and seven rebounds, while BJ Cardarelli was 3-6 behind the arc and added 11 points and six rebounds.
East Region Player of the Year Garrett Kerr led USciences with 34 points and 12 rebounds, going 13-25 from the floor while also adding two assists and a pair of steals. Sho Da-Silva was the other Devil in double figures with 11 points off the bench.
#5 Southern Connecticut 86, #1 American International 65 | BOX SCORE
For the second straight year, Southern Connecticut State will play for a regional championship following the team's 86-65 win over top-ranked American International on Sunday night in Springfield, Mass.
The Owls will make their third Sweet 16 appearance on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. against Southern New Hampshire, who came from behind to defeat USciences in their semifinal game.
Senior Luke Houston led all scorers with 20 points, junior Desmond Williams had his second straight double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting, and sophomore Michael Mallory chipped in 17 points off the bench.
Senior Tylon Smith registered 12 points and junior Stefon Williams finished in double figures with 10 points. The Owls improve their record to 24-7 on the season, while the Yellow Jackets season draws to a close at 24-7.
Additional reporting for this release provided by the athletics communications staffs at Southern New Hampshire and Southern Connecticut.
About the Northeast-10 Conference
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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