SAINT JOSEPH'S RALLIES PAST EMMANUEL, WINS NINTH STRAIGHT

STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (10-2) rallied from a nine-point deficit with 3:59 remaining to defeat Emmanuel College (8-4), 107-102, in the final game of the 2018 Catholic Classic at the Harold Alfond Center on Sunday afternoon.

The win extends the Monks' winning streak to nine games, the program's longest since when the team strung together nine triumphs near the end of the 2013-14 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Trailing 98-89 after Emmanuel junior guard Emmett Riddick (Middletown, Conn.) hit a jump shot with 3:59 remaining, Saint Joseph's scored 11 unanswered points over the subsequent two minutes to claim a 100-98 edge. Senior guard Jack Hostetler (Somers, Conn.) tied the game (98-98) with a baseline three-pointer with 2:26 left and sophomore guard Jack Casale (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) put the hosts on top with a pair of free throws 40 seconds later.

On the Saints' following trip down the floor sophomore forward Marcus Fox (Danbury, Conn.) tied the contest with a layup, but the Monks took the lead for good when senior guard Darian Berry (Rochester, N.H.) hit an uncontested three-pointer with 55 seconds left. Hostetler and senior guard Ian Mileikis (Auburn, Maine) both drained a pair of freebies to close out the thrilling victory.

St. Joe's led by as many as 12 points in the first half and carried a 53-45 cushion into intermission.

With the game tied at 65-apiece and 14:01 remaining in the second half, the Saints posted a 12-2 run, which was capped with a Riddick three-pointer and the visitors on top, 77-67, with 12:11 on the clock. The Monks did not reclaim the lead until Casale hit the pair of free throws with 1:46 left.

STAT OF THE GAME:

The Monks made 31-of-36 attempts from the FT line, while the Saints converted 10-of-13 tries from the charity stripe.

BEYOND THE BOX:

The Monks' free throw total is the teams most since St. Joe's made 31 freebies versus Lasell College on January 23rd, 2014…The last time SJC allowed 100 or more points in a victory: December 8th, 2007 when the Monks defeated Daniel Webster College, 112-102…Saint Joseph's is 12-49 all-time when allowing 100 or more points…The combined points total of 210 is the most in a game involving St. Joe's since the aforementioned contest versus Daniel Webster…For Emmanuel, the 100-point output is the team's first triple-digit effort since the Saints defeated Suffolk University, 116-73, on January 10th, 2008. 

LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:

·       Casale led all players with 31 points and pulled down eight rebounds

·       Senior forward Marc Corey (Londonderry, N.H.) scored 24 points with eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals

·       Berry netted 19 points and dealt five assists

·       Mileikis chipped in with 15 points and six boards

·       Hostetler and freshman Nicholas Curtis (Windham, Maine) came off the bench to contribute five points and three assists apiece

LEADERS – EMMANUEL:

·       Riddick netted 28 points with three rebounds and three assists

·       Fox scored 26 points with nine rebounds

·       Senior guard Isaiah Ruffen (Haverhill, Mass.) notched a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds and also dealt four assists

·       Sophomore guard Zachary Crisafulli (Easthampton, Mass.) added 10 points and seven assists

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Saint Joseph's is now 18-5 in the history of the series with Emmanuel College. Prior to this afternoon, neither team had hit the triple-digit mark in head to head action.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's opens Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play with a game at Lasell College at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 8th. Emmanuel hosts GNAC-rival Rivier University on Sunday, January 6th at 1:00 PM.