CHICAGO (Interstat) — CJ Ray scored 18 points and Chicago State used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, defeating Stonehill 68-55 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at Jones Convocation Center.

The Cougars, who led by as many as 23 points in the opening period, never trailed and avenged an overtime loss to the Skyhawks from just over a month ago. The victory improved Chicago State’s record to 6-20, while Stonehill fell to 8-17.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as Chicago State capitalized on a flurry of Stonehill mistakes to seize control. After a slow start from both teams, the Cougars ignited a 17-2 run over a six-minute span in the first half, turning a narrow 7-5 edge into a commanding 24-7 advantage. The surge was fueled almost entirely by Stonehill turnovers and cold shooting. The Skyhawks committed five turnovers during the run, which Chicago State converted into 10 points. Stonehill also missed seven consecutive field goal attempts, allowing the Cougars to build a lead that proved too large to overcome.

Ray was instrumental in the early onslaught, scoring seven points during the decisive run, including a 3-pointer that opened the floodgates. His backcourt mate, Corey Sands, added a pair of 3-pointers during the stretch, finishing with 12 points and four assists. The Cougars’ defense was relentless, forcing 10 first-half turnovers and scoring 24 points off turnovers for the game, more than doubling Stonehill’s output of 11 in that category.

Stonehill, which managed only 19 points in the first half on 26% shooting, spent the entire second half trying to claw back. The Skyhawks showed more life after the break, outscoring Chicago State 36-30, but could never cut the deficit to single digits. Hermann Koffi led the charge with 15 of his team-high 15 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers. Davante Hackett and Chas Stinson each added 11 points for Stonehill.

Every time the Skyhawks threatened, Chicago State had an answer. When Stonehill closed to within 14 points early in the second half, Sands and Dailliss Cox responded with consecutive layups. Later, after a 3-pointer from Koffi made it 54-47 with just over nine minutes to play, the Cougars stiffened defensively. They held Stonehill scoreless for nearly four minutes while embarking on an 8-0 run, capped by a Ray layup and a Dailliss Cox jumper assisted by Sands, to push the lead back to 62-47 and effectively seal the game.

Chicago State’s ball distribution was key, with Marcus Tankersley dishing out a game-high six assists to go with seven points. The Cougars also dominated inside, outscoring Stonehill 26-18 in the paint and grabbing 13 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ previous meeting on Jan. 10, which Stonehill won 85-82 in overtime. In that contest, the Skyhawks erased a late deficit. On Thursday, Chicago State ensured there would be no such drama, leading for over 39 minutes of game time.

The announced attendance was 183 at the 6,900-seat Jones Convocation Center. The game was organized by the Northeast Conference, of which both teams are members.

Stonehill will look to rebound quickly, hosting Wagner on Saturday. Chicago State hits the road for its next contest, traveling to face Le Moyne on Saturday.