Statistics

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott used a dominant second-half stretch to pull away from the University of New England men's basketball team and ultimately post a 93-81 victory in Tuesday evening's Conference of New England matchup inside MacDonald Gymasium.
 
The Gulls (7-5, 4-1 CNE), who held a 45-41 lead at halftime, clung to a one-possession lead early in the second half before making a 13-2 run that handed UNE (4-8, 2-3 CNE) the first double-digit deficit of the game. Later, a 15-5 Endicott run allowed the hosts to grab a 90-69 advantage with just over four minutes remaining, marking the game's largest lead.
 
Three from Endicott netted at least 20 points, with Jeff Hill's game-high 27 leading the way. Marcus Montagnino erupted for a 25-point, 15-rebound double-double, and Elijah Kinney added another double-double for the Gulls with 13 points and 13 boards. Hill and AJ Forte each knocked down four 3-pointers as Endicott buried 12 of its 35 attempts from deep.
 
Adam Lux, now with three consecutive performances of more than 20 points, paced UNE with 23 while grabbing 10 rebounds to notch his first double-double of the season. Jaelen Jackson and Jayden Thornton followed in the scoring column with 15 and 14, respectively. Lux and Jackson both hit three triples to help the Nor'easters match a season-high with 11 made 3-pointers (11-of-33).
 
The Gulls shot better than 46 percent from the field (19-of-41) during their strong second-half showing, and were 6-of-16 from the perimeter. Montagnino scored 16 of his 25 points, and pulled down 13 of his 15 boards in the second half.
 
The Nor'easters look to get back in the win column on Saturday, Jan. 11 when they host Roger Williams at 3 p.m. on Coach Beaudry's Court.