Syracuse, N.Y. – Davante Hackett and Ethan Meuser combined for 46 points to lead fifth-seeded Stonehill College to an 81-71 victory over the fourth-seeded Le Moyne College men's basketball team in the quarterfinals of the NEC Championship on Wednesday night at Ted Grant Court.

With the victory, Stonehill's first in the NEC Championship, the Skyhawks advance to the NEC semifinals for the first time and will take on third-seeded Mercyhurst, which picked up its first win in the NEC Championship in its first season of eligibility.

The Dolphins drop to 15-17 on the season and now await word on a possible postseason berth.

Junior guard Tennessee Rainwater (Davenport, Wash./Davenport/Utah Tech) led the Dolphins with 15 points and added three rebounds over 21 minutes before missing the final 12:19 after a hard fall. Graduate student forward Shilo Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central/Vincennes/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) tallied his NEC-best ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while adding two blocks. Sophomore guard Jakai Sanders (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy/Saint Peter's) turned in 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Redshirt sophomore guard Deng Garang (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) tied Jackson for game-high honors with 10 rebounds, while adding nine points.

Hackett led the Skyhawks with 26 points to increase his total against the Dolphins to 78 over three games this season. Meuser recorded 20 points, including nine in the opening 3:11 on 3-of-3 shooting from three-point range. Hermann Koffi posted 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The Skyhawks opened the game with 18 of the first 25 points over the initial 6:48. Meuser hit consecutive three-pointers to start the game and then a third after Rex Sunderland nailed a three-pointer of his own for a 12-4 lead. Hackett and Koffi followed with jumpers around a Sanders three-pointer and then Chas Stinson completed the stretch with a fast-break lay-up.

Le Moyne answered with nine straight points to cut its deficit to 18-16 with 10:21 to play. Jackson made two free throws, Sanders had a free throw and a lay-up, sophomore guard Jakob Blakley (Elgin, Ill./Walter Payton Preparatory) hit a pull-up jumper from the right side and then junior guard Samuel Hincapie (Medellin, Colombia/Gateway Legacy Prep (Mo.)/Lake Land College) made a fast-break lay-up off a steal by Sanders.

After the teams traded points over the next three minutes, Le Moyne scored five straight points to take its first lead of the game. Hincapie had a conventional three-point play and then Rainwater made a lay-up for a 27-26 lead.

Following a three-pointer by Hackett and a lay-up by Rainwater to even the score at 29 with 5:11 left, the Skyhawks closed out the half with 10 of the last 13 points for a 39-32 lead at halftime. Ridvan Tutic started the run with a lay-up, Koffi hit a three-pointer, Hackett nailed a three-pointer after the Dolphins made three foul shots and then Hackett converted a lay-up at the buzzer.

The Dolphins scored the first four points of the second half to get within three before the teams alternated points for the next five minutes with Stonehill's lead bouncing between one and five points.

After Tutic made a lay-up for a 52-49 lead with 13:53 remaining, Rainwater drained a three-pointer to tie the score, but Koffi answered 31 seconds later with a three-pointer to put the Skyhawks back in front.

Hackett then answered two Rainwater free throws with a three-pointer and then Sunderland did the same after Garang made two foul shots to give Stonehill a 61-56 lead with 11:45 left.

Jackson countered with two free throws off an offensive rebound and then Sanders buried a three-pointer to even the score at 61 with 10:51 remaining.

Following two empty possessions by each team, Anthony Holden drilled a fast-break three-pointer from the left corner to put Stonehill in front for good. After a Garang lay-up, Holden made a fast-break lay-up and then Koffi knocked down a jumper for a 68-63 advantage with 6:43 left.

Jackson followed with a put-back dunk and Garang had a put-back lay-up to get the Dolphins within one with 5:07 remaining.

After two free throws each from Meuser and Sanders to make the score 70-69 leading into the final media timeout with 3:15 left, the Skyhawks put the game away with the next seven points. Hackett made two free throws and a jumper, Meuser converted a foul shot and then Hackett had a dunk out of a Stonehill timeout.

Hincapie snapped the run with a lay-up with 42 seconds left, but Hackett made two free throws off a flagrant 2 foul with 31 seconds left and then two more free throws with 27 seconds to play to end the game's scoring.