Men's Basketball Falters in Second Half at Sacred Heart

The Central Connecticut men's basketball endured a scoring slump in the second half and fell at Sacred Heart, 65-48, on Thursday night at the Pitt Center in Northeast Conference action. 

Central slips to 2-8 overall and 2-5 in NEC play, while SHU improves to 4-4 overall and 4-3 in NEC play.

CCSU trailed by just three points at halftime, but the Pioneers would open the second half with a 14-2 run to build a double-digit lead. Central would shoot just 8-of-30 in the second half as Sacred Heart rode its defense to pull away.

Sophomore Greg Outlaw was the only Blue Devils in double-figures with 11 points. Sopohomore Jamir Reed grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. 

CCSU shot 17-of-61 (.279) overall and 5-of-23 (.217) from three-point range. Central was 9-of-13 (.692) from the free throw line. 

Cantavino Dutrell posted 15 points and 19 rebounds to lead Sacred Heart. The Pioneers shot 22-of-61 (.361) overall and 5-of-22 (.227) from the three-point line. SHU went 16-of-22 (.727) from the foul line and outrebounded CCSU, 49-39.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 48, Sacred Heart 65
Records: CCSU (2-8, 2-5 NEC), SHU (4-4, 4-3 NEC)
Location: Pitt Center | Fairfield, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The team's opened the game by shooting a combined 1-for-10 before a long jumper by junior Zach Newkirk and a three-pointer by Greg Outlaw tied the game at 5-5. Sophomore Xavier Wilson converted Central's third straight field goal to give the visitors their first lead of the night at 7-5. CCSU would hit four straight field goals to build an early five-point cushion.
• Central's defense would hold Sacred Heart without a field goal for over 3:30 and manage to push its lead to 14-9 midway through the opening half. CCSU would limit SHU to just 5-of-20 (.250) shooting to begin the game. The Pioneers would tie the game at 16-all as CCSU weathered a five-minute scoreless drought before a jumper by sophomore Jamir Reed. Back-to-back three-pointers gave SHU a four-point lead late in the half that the Blue Devils would trim to 25-22 at the intermission.
• Sacred Heart opened the second half outscoring Central, 14-2, including 12 unanswered points to open up a 39-24 lead. Central would start the second half shooting just 1-of-8 from the field and go without a field for nearly seven minutes.
• The Blue Devils would trail by as much as 25 points in the second half and were unable to get closer than 17 over the final 11:32.

QUOTABLE

"This is one of those times you have to push ahead and focus on the Mount," said head coach Donyell Marshall on moving past Thursday's game. "Mentally I think if we harp on this game too much, our focus will be on that and we won't be able to turn it around when we have to focus on Mount. I think it's one of those things right now that we have to get it out of our heads pretty quickly and move onto preparing for Mount."

NUMBER TO KNOW

26 - Central was held to a season-low point total in the second half.

NOTES

• CCSU leads the all-time series, 37-32, but Sacred Heart has won 11 straight meetings in the series.
• Outlaw scored in double-figures for the fifth straight game. He has scored double-figures in seven contests this season.
• Outlaw also matched a career-high with three steals.
• Junior Ian Krishnan returned from a two-game absence and finished with five points in 21 minutes.
• Sophomore Ola Olamuyiwa had a season-high four points in just his second game of the season.

UP NEXT

Central will play at home against Mount St. Mary's on Jan. 21-22.