Stony Brook defeats NC A&T 81-80

Stony Brook Pulls Off Thrilling 81-80 Victory Over NC A&T in Conference Showdown

In a nail-biting contest that saw both teams battle through the final seconds, Stony Brook emerged victorious, edging out visiting NC A&T 81-80 at their home arena on Saturday night.

The game was a back-and-forth affair from start to finish, with Stony Brook taking an early lead and never looking back. At halftime, the Seawolves led by a margin of 11 points, but NC A&T's relentless attack in the second half allowed them to stay within striking distance.

Andrej Shoshkikj Leads the Charge

For Stony Brook, forward Andrej Shoshkikj was nearly unstoppable, posting a game-high 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc. The senior's hot hand proved to be the difference-maker in the end, as he connected on several clutch shots down the stretch.

"I just tried to stay focused and keep making plays," Shoshkikj said after the game. "We knew it was going to be a tough road game, but our team showed tremendous heart and resilience."

Shoshkikj also chipped in with six assists and five rebounds, helping Stony Brook outrebound NC A&T 18-25.

NC A&T's Walker Struggles from Distance

For the Aggies, Lewis Walker was the lone bright spot on offense, scoring 16 points but shooting a paltry 0-for-2 from three-point range. Despite his efforts, he struggled to find his footing in front of a raucous home crowd.

"We just couldn't get anything going from beyond the arc," Walker said post-game. "We knew we needed to be more efficient on offense if we wanted to compete with Stony Brook."

Key Stats Tell the Story

The numbers told it all: Stony Brook's 60.3 eFG% compared to NC A&T's 46.3, while the Seawolves' True Shooting Percentage of 63.1 edged out their opponents at 52.4.

In terms of pace and efficiency, both teams were evenly matched, with neither able to gain a significant advantage on either end of the floor.

Final Margin: Just One Point

As the clock ticked down, both teams fought for every possession, but Stony Brook ultimately came out on top by a margin of just one point. The win marked a crucial conference victory for the Seawolves and leaves them with a 3-0 record in the league.

For NC A&T, it's back-to-back losses that drops their conference mark to 2-1.

The Aggies, meanwhile, head into next week's matchup looking to regroup and refocus on their shooting woes.

A Thrilling Victory for Stony Brook

In a game that could have gone either way until the final seconds, Stony Brook emerged victorious. The win cements their status as one of the top contenders in the conference and sets them up for a potential run at the championship title.

For now, though, they'll bask in the glory of this hard-fought victory, knowing that it was every bit worth the effort.