STONY BROOK, N.Y. - The Seawolves began the new year in thrilling fashion as they just held on to secure the 81-80 win over N.C. A&T at home on Saturday.

How It Happened

• After both teams traded buckets throughout the opening minutes of the game, the Aggies went on the first extended run by either team when they rattled off eight unanswered to go up 14-7 five minutes in. The Seawolves immediately responded with a 7-0 run of their own to tie things up at 14-14. Erik Pratt added a triple and another layup during the run to reach nine points.
• Eight minutes in, Stony Brook would take a 17-14 lead after a free throw and a layup from Oleg Kojenets, coupled with a nearly four-minute scoring drought from the Aggies. 60 seconds later, though, N.C. A&T would once again retake the lead on back-to-back three-pointers.
• With under 10 minutes remaining in the half, the game's back-and-forth nature continued as the lead changed four times in four minutes. Andrej Shoshkikj and Rob Brown III provided the bulk Stony Brook's offense during this time, combining for five triples to eventually give the Seawolves their largest lead yet at 36-30 by the five-minute mark.
• N.C. A&T briefly managed to cut the lead back down to one with just over three minutes to play, only for the Seawolves to go on their longest scoring run of the day with 12 points in a row. Pratt and Brown III would each add another three to give the team nine total n the first half, while Goods and Tomas Valentiny threw down back-to-back dunks to help extend the lead to 50-39 by the end of the half.
• Stony Brook's top scorers on the day remained hot to open the second half as Pratt, Brown III, and Shoshkikj each added another bucket, before Valentiny came up with his second dunk of the day to grow the lead to 60-45 after just four minutes.
• The Seawolves' lead would not get any higher, however, as an 8-0 N.C. A&T run cut it back down to seven with just under 13 minutes to go. The Aggies would continue to pick away at the lead, eventually tying it at 69-69. That would be as close as they would get, though, as Pratt drained his third three-pointer of the day to retake the lead, followed by a layup from Shoshkikj to make it 74-69.
• After a three-pointer from Quin Gorman made it 79-72 with three and half to play, the Aggies scored six in a row to shrink the lead back down to one with under two minutes to go. In the final minute, N.C. A&T had multiple chances to pull ahead, but a costly turnover, a missed shot, and a block by Pratt in the final second allowed the Seawolves to hold on for the 81-80 victory.

Stats and Notes

• Stony Brook's 50 first-half points are its most against a Division I opponent this season. 
• Shoshkikj totaled a career-high 27 points today, also setting new career marks with five three-pointers, nine field goals, and six assists.
• Shoshkikj did not miss a single field goal, three-pointer, or free throw until 1:12 in the second half. Prior to that, he was 9-for-9 from the field, 5-for-5 from deep, and 4-for-4 from the line.
• Pratt recorded his seventh game of the season with at least 20 points after scoring 23. He now has 973 career points.
• From 16:00-3:30 in the second half, all 16 of Stony Brook's points were scored by Pratt (seven) and Shoshkikj (nine). 
• The Seawolves totaled 12 three-pointers today, giving them five games this year with 10+ three-pointers.
• Stony Brook shot exactly .500 as a team, marking the fourth time this year the Seawolves have finished with above a .500 FG%.
• Pratt and Shoshkikj are the first Seawolves duo to each score 20 points in a game since Joe Octave and CJ Luster vs. Delaware back on January 16, 2024.

Up Next

The Seawolves are back on the road next week as they head to Philadelphia to face Drexel on Thursday, January 8 at 7 p.m.

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