Junior Saintel scores career high but Stony Brook falls at Vermont
Stony Brook guard Junior Saintel takes a foul shot against Brown at Island Federal Credit Union Arena on Nov. 22, 2017. Credit: Daniel De Mato
Not even Junior Saintel’s career day could help the Stony Brook men’s basketball team outlast America East foe Vermont.
Saintel scored a career-high 18 points and shot 8-for-9, but his efficient outing wasn’t enough. Host Vermont took a 10-point lead into the break and won, 73-62, on Saturday. Stony Brook is now 7-11, 2-2 in league play.
“That is a very good basketball team,” coach Jeff Boals said. “I thought that we got out to a good start, like we did at Albany, but when our bench went in, we had a little lull. We scored eight points in the final 12 minutes of the first half, and when you play teams like this, you have to make shots.”
Stony Brook opened the first half hot, building a seven-point lead. But Vermont (13-5, 3-0) soon responded with a 15-1 run. Tyrell Sturdivant (seven points) ended the run with 5:05 left in the first half, and Bryan Sekunda nailed a three-pointer on the next possession to cut the deficit to three at 31-28.
Vermont’s Trae Bell-Haynes (20 points) hit consecutive three-pointers minutes later, helping Vermont enter the half with a 40-30 lead. Vermont utilized an 8-0 run midway through the second half to take a 60-45 lead from which it did not look back.
Jaron Cornish had nine points, and UC Iroegbu had seven. Akwasi Yeboah and Elijah Olaniyi each had six.
The Catamounts shot 56.1 percent for the game, including 10-for-22 (.455) on three-pointers.
Stony Brook next plays at home Thursday against Binghamton.
