Men's Basketball Three-Game Streak Halted as Offense Stalls at Mount Saint Mary

NEWBURGH, N.Y. — Senior Matt O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) drained a career-high six three-pointers and scored a game-high 23 points, but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's basketball team couldn't extend their three-game winning streak as Mount Saint Mary rode a 50-point second-half to a 75-55 Skyline Conference victory on Tuesday night, splitting the season series.

The Basics

• Final Score: Mount Saint Mary 75, St. Joseph's 55
• Records: Mount Saint Mary (7-11, 5-9 Skyline), St. Joseph's (10-8, 7-7 Skyline)
• Date: January 26, 2016
• Location: Newburgh, N.Y.
• Arena: The Kaplan Center
• Starters:
  • St. Joseph's: Murray (G), O'Neill (G), Willis (G), Megafu (F), Archer (F)
  • Mount Saint Mary: Steyer (G), McDine (G), Wolff (G), Nocera (F), Patsalos (F)

Turning Point

• Trying to stage a second-half comeback, St. Joseph's fell scoreless for over six minutes as Mount Saint Mary scored 15 unanswered and led by 23 with just under seven minutes to play.

How it Happened

• Michael Megafu's layup made it 7-2 less than three minutes into play as the Bears controlled play in the early going.
• By the 11:47 mark of the first, Mount Saint Mary had wrestled back the lead after Connor Nicholson's triple put the Knights up 12-10.
• Cementing a 12-0 run, T.J. Patsalos' layup made it 18-10 Knights with 9:03 remaining in the first period as the momentum began to shift away from the Bears. A defensive first-half ended 25-19 in favor of the home team.
• In the second, Daniel Wolff's three-pointer at the 14:17 mark provided the Knights with the first double-digit advantage.
• As the Bears struggled to find their offensive rhythm, Mount Saint Mary distanced themselves. A dominant 15-0 stretch opened up a 57-31 lead with just 7:55 left to play.

For the Bears

• Senior Matt O'Neill provided the bulk of the offense with a game-high 23 points, draining a career-high six three-pointers, adding six boards and one assist.
• Senior Michael Megafu netted 14 and missed his 11th double-double with eight rebounds.
• Senior Michael Murray chipped in eight points and corralled a career-best seven boards.

For the Knights

• Coming off the bench, Connor Nicholson led four Knights in double figures with an 18-point effort on 3-of-5 shooting from downtown.
• An efficient Stephen Steyer drained 8-of-10 from the field for 17 points.
• T.J. Patsalos secured a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards.

Inside the Box Score

• The Bears entered the game as the top offensive team in the Skyline Conference averaging 80.4 points but finished with season lows of 55 points and 28.6 percent (18-63) shooting.
• O'Neill provided all the offense from distance, accounting for all six Bears trifectas and his only field goals on the night, as the team finished with a 23.1 percent (6-26) connect rate from deep.
• Despite a lopsided defeat, the Bears won the turnover battle 18-16.

The Bear Facts

• The loss snaps a season-long three-game winning streak for the Bears, including two wins in the league play.
• St. Joseph's fall to even 7-7 in conference play, placing them seventh in the standings.
• After splitting the home-and-home series, the Knights now lead the all-time series 3-1.

Next up for St. Joseph's

The Bears return to The Hill Center for Alumni Hoops Day and a Play 4Kay doubleheader on Saturday, January 30. St. Joseph's welcomes Purchase College for another crucial Skyline Conference meeting and tries to avenge a one-point loss on the road earlier this month. The men play in the nightcap with the women at 6 p.m. with live stats and video available at SJCBears.com.