MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Michael's College men's basketball team trimmed a 15-point deficit to three late in regulation before falling to 18th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University, 90-76, on Saturday in SNHU Fieldhouse. The Purple Knights are 1-8 overall and 1-6 in the Northeast-10 Conference after losing on national television for the third straight year, while the Penmen are 7-1 and 5-1. Southern New Hampshire won the 2016 NE10 Championship and qualified for the past two NCAA Tournaments, while its national ranking is according to the D2SIDA National Media Poll.

Saint Michael's concluded a difficult five-game stretch against three teams that went to the 2016 NCAA Tournament and another two that were regionally ranked, as today's game was broadcast live on NESNplus and NESN National. Sophomore Levi Holmes III (East Brunswick, N.J./Rutgers Prep) collected 20 points and five rebounds, shooting 5-of-10 from three-point range, and senior Matt Bonds (Accokeek, Md./North Point) had 19 points, nine rebounds, four offensive boards and three assists while shooting 8-of-13. Senior David Sullivan (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep) recorded a career high in scoring for the second straight game, totaling 14 points while connecting on 5-of-8 shots from the floor and 4-of-4 at the charity stripe.

First-year Stan Foster (Rochester, N.Y./Avon Old Farms School) posted seven points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench, and sophomore Winston Jones II (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) had six points. Saint Michael's shot 44.6 percent from the field and 12-of-13 on free throws while holding a 35-28 rebounding advantage, with its 15-6 lead on the offensive end contributing to an 18-7 edge in second-chance points.

After entering the game tied for first in Division II with six double-doubles this season, Bonds was one rebound short of his seventh of the winter. He moved beyond a pair of legends during the contest, pushing his career rebound total to 884 to pass 1965 NBA Draft selection Rich Tarrant '65 (880) for sixth in program history and come within two of Tyler Schilling '12 (886) for fifth. With 248 free throws, Bonds is now 20th all time, edging past Hank Gretkowski '59 (247). Bonds' 331 offensive rebounds are the most by a Purple Knight since the statistic began being tracked in 1992-93. Schilling had formerly held the No. 1 spot with 330.

Senior Devin Gilligan led all scorers with 28 points for the Penmen, adding seven rebounds and four assists, and redshirt junior Chris Walters turned in 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Senior Adrian Oliveira totaled 14 points, five assists and three steals, and classmate Jerome Harris scored 11 points behind three three-pointers. Southern New Hampshire shot 59.6 percent while attempting 26 free throws to the visitors' 13.

Junior Bruno Beča (Zagreb, Croatia/Westchester Country Day School) banked home a hook shot 24 seconds into the game for the opening points before Harris hit three three-pointers to spark a 13-5 run, while Holmes canned a triple and Bonds tipped in a putback during that time for the visitors. Saint Michael's turned the six-point deficit to four on Sullivan's driving lay-up with 15:46 to go in the opening half, making it 13-9, before the Penmen strung together an 8-2 stretch, as four players scored around Holmes' two free throws.

Down 21-11, the Purple Knights forged back in front on the strength of a 14-3 jaunt, as Jones scored four points and Bonds totaled three to go along with two assists. Bonds' putback and ensuing free throw had the visitors on top 25-24 with 9:32 left. Gilligan responded with a lay-up just 16 seconds later and Walters hit a three, but Holmes nailed a trey of his own to cut the deficit to one at 8:27, and Saint Michael's continued to trail by no more than four points, as Jones hit a straightaway jumper at 3:46 to make it 36-34.

However, Southern New Hampshire ended the half on an 8-2 run during which four different players scored, as it led 44-36 at intermission thanks to 57.1 percent shooting in the stanza. Saint Michael's held a 19-13 edge in rebounds, including 10-3 on the offensive glass, leading to a 12-4 lead in second-chance points.

Junior Dimitri Floras' three-point play gave the Penmen an 11-point advantage 1:16 into the second half, and Southern New Hampshire led by double figures for much of the opening 11 minutes, leading by as many as 15 points three times. With Saint Michael's trailing 64-49 and 11:22 remaining, the Purple Knights created a one-possession game thanks to a 20-7 run during which Bonds scored eight points and dished to Sullivan for a long jumper. Sullivan netted six points and kicked to Foster for a three that made it 71-69 with 4:59 left.

Gilligan responded with a three just 19 seconds later, and Walters' free throw pushed the lead to six with 3:30 left before Williams' two freebies at 3:12 kept Saint Michael's within four. The visitors forced the Penmen into a shot late in the shot clock on their next possession, but Gilligan tracked down the rebound and scored before the hosts came up with a steal the next time the Purple Knights came down the court, and Southern New Hampshire sealed the win with an 11-0 run. The Penmen made their final four field goal attempts and last six free throw tries.

The Purple Knights head to Daemen (N.Y.) College for their next game on Dec. 19 at 11 a.m.