Men's Basketball Rally Comes Up Short to Sacred Heart, 64-62

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team erased a double-digit deficit in the second half to tie the game, but a pair of late foul shots lifted Sacred Heart to a 64-62 win on Thursday night at Detrick Gymnasium. Two foul shots by SHU with 33 seconds to play were the difference after CCSU tied the game with just under a minute remaining.

The Blue Devils slip to 2-12 overall and 0-3 in the Northeast Conference, while the Pioneers improve to 6-10 overall and 1-2 in the NEC.

Junior Mustafa Jones would lead Central with a career-high 23 points. Senior Khalen Cumberlander added 18 points and senior Tidell Pierre chipped in with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.

Pierre hit a pair of foul shots to get CCSU within 62-61 with 2:52 to play before Cumberlander hit 1-of-2 at the line with 55 seconds to play to tie the game. Quincy McKnight would draw a foul and convert two free throws on the next SHU possession to break the tie.

SHU would have a chance to extend the lead, but after missing two foul shots Central raced up the court with five seconds to play, but was unable to get a shot on its final possession.

The Pioneers would score the first five points of the second half to erase a three-point halftime deficit and take the lead early in the period. A 14-1 run capped off by a layup from Joe Lopez would give Sacred Heart a double-digit lead at 47-36.

The Blue Devils endured a span of 5:35 without a field goal, but they would use a 10-0 run to tie the game with 5:27 to play. Back-to-back three-pointers by sophomore Austin Nehls opened the spurt and a layup by Cumberlander would tie the game at 55-55.

CCSU was unable to regain a lead, but the Pioneers were never able to put more than a four-point lead after Cumberlander tied the game. The game would feature seven ties, including three in the final 5:40.

Central missed its first five shots to open the game, but Cumberlander and Jones would spark the offense as the Blue Devils would come back to build a haltime lead. Cumberlander scored four straight points to give CCSU its first lead of the night. His layup at the 7:20 mark made it 19-18 and he pushed the cushion to three points on the next possession.

The Blue Devils would score six straight to break a 21-21 tie and take a lead into halftime. Jones and Cumberlander each had a basket and Pierre's layup would give Central its largest lead of the period at 27-21.

Sean Hoehn hit a three-pointer for SHU to cut the CCSU lead to 31-28 at halftime. Jones had 13 points to lead CCSU at the half, while Cumberlander had 12 in the opening period.

Central shot 41.9 percent (26-of-62) for the game overall, but was just 2-of-16 (.125) from the arc and 8-of-16 (.500) at the foul line. 

Quincy McKnight led Sacred Heart with 21 points. Joe Lopez added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. 

Sacred Heart shot 42.6 percent (23-of-54) overall, including 12-of-17 at the foul line (.706) and 6-of-14 (.429) from the arc.

The Blue Devils are back in action at Detrick Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 7, with a 3:30 p.m. game against Mount St. Mary's. The CCSU women will host Sacred Heart at 1:00 p.m. in the first game of a basketball doubleheader.