NEWARK, Del. – The Stony Brook men's basketball team (9-18, 5-9 CAA) could not keep pace with the Delaware Blue Hens (13-14, 5-9 CAA), despite having two student-athletes score new career highs, on the road at the Bob Carpenter Center on Monday night, falling 71-60.
The Seawolves were led by a career-best performance from junior guard
Tanahj Pettway and graduate center
Keenan Fitzmorris. Each set new career-highs in points.
Pettway finished with a career-high 20 points, on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range. He also set career-highs in field goals made, field goals attempted, and three-point field goals made. He tied his career-high in three-point field goals attempted. Pettway added seven rebounds and played 31 minutes.
Fitzmorris totaled a career-high 17 points and shot 6-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Fitzmorris added a career-high five assists, and three rebounds in 31 minutes.
Delaware led by as many as 20 points in the game and led by 14 points at halftime. The Blue Hens built a big lead by way of the three-point line and were able to hold on. Delaware made a season-high 11 three pointers in the game as a team, shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Stony Brook built a late comeback, going on a 20-6 run over about seven minutes in the second half. The large run cut Delaware's lead from 50-32 to 58-52.
After not scoring for nearly the first 30 minutes of action, graduate forward
Frankie Policelli found his groove. Policelli nailed back-to-back three pointers to cut the deficit to six points. He finished the game with 12 points, which all came in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Despite Stony Brook's late fight, Delaware was able to continue to push its lead as it held on for the win. The Blue Hens were led by guard Jameer Nelson Jr.'s game-high 23 points. Nelson is the CAA's second-leading scorer.
Stony Brook fell in its only matchup with Delaware this season.
STATS AND NOTES
- The Seawolves had three scorers reach double figures in the game (Pettway, Fitzmorris, and Policelli).
- It was Pettway's first time this season scoring in double digits in the first half and his first time leading the team in scoring in a game this season.
- It marked Pettway's second time leading the team in rebounding in a game this season.
- It was Policelli's ninth time this season scoring double figures in the second half.
- It was Fitzmorris' second time this season leading the team in assists in a game.
- Senior guard Tyler Stephenson-Moore scored all six of his points at the free-throw line. The CAA's leader in free throw percentage shot 6-of-8 from the stripe in the loss.
- Stony Brook outscored Delaware in the second half, 37-34.
- The Seawolves grabbed six offensive rebounds, while the Blue Hens hauled in five.
- Stony Brook totaled seven second-chance points and did not allow any.
- Stony Brook outscored Delaware in the paint, 24-20.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"We got off to a poor start with six turnovers in our first 12 possessions which caused separation. We competed our tails off and had the game within five but couldn't get over the hump. Tanahj had a good ballgame and Fitz was terrific for us. We need to just stay the course and be ready for Thursday," said head coach
Geno Ford.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook will return home to face the William & Mary Tribe for the second time this season, on Thursday, Feb. 16. Tip- off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on SNY and FloHoops.
For an inside look at the Seawolves men's basketball program, be sure to follow them on
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