Men's Basketball Slips at Sacred Heart on Saturday

Central Connecticut lost at Sacred Heart, 78-65, on Saturday in Northeast Conference men's basketball in Fairfield, CT. The Blue Devils built an early eight-point lead, before the Pioneers took a double-digit lead into halftime and won the season's first meeting between the in-state rivals.

Andre Snoddy scored a career-high 20 points to lead CCSU in scoring. CCSU shot 27-of-64 (.422) from the field overall and 3-of-18 (.167) from three-point range. Central was 8-of-16 (.500) from the foul line.

Nico Gallette had a game-high 22 points and Bryce Johnson added a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead SHU. The Pioneers shot 31-of-55 (.564) overall and 6-of-17 (.353) from the arc. Sacred Heart was 10-of-15 (.667) from the foul line.

The Blue Devils play one final non-conference tilt, traveling to Hartford on Wednesday.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 65, Sacred Heart 78
Records: CCSU (6-19, 4-7 NEC), SHU (13-13, 6-5 NEC)
Location: The Pitt Center | Fairfield, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• Central scored the first seven points of the game with Snoddy accounting for five of them. The Blue Devils would build their largest margin of the day after a three-pointer by Davonte Sweatman made it 17-9 with 13:49 to go in the opening half.
• Sacred Heart would find its footing midway through the first half and would outscore CCSU, 13-4, over a six-minute span to take its first lead of the day. A turnaround by Galette would make it 22-21 with 7:18 left in the half. The game would be tied at 24 but the Pioneers would use a 12-0 run enroute to taking a 39-28 lead at the half.
• SHU used a spurt of seven unanswered points and held CCSU scoreless for four minutes early in the second half to extend its lead. Joey Reilly would make it 46-32 with a three-point play with 14:34 to play.
• The Blue Devils would get five straight points from Snoddy to cut the deficit to 51-44 with 9:19 remaining but that was as close as it would get the rest of the way. SHU would push the lead to as much as 70-55 with 3:12 to play and maintained a double-digit lead.

QUOTABLE

"Sacred Heart went on a run in the first half and we were never able to get consistent stops," said head coach Patrick Sellers. "We have to be better with our halfcourt defense when you play a team that spaces the floor so well. We were kept on our heels in the second half and we have to get back into a rhythm offensively."

NUMBER TO KNOW

5 – Davonte Sweatman led CCSU with a career-high five assists in the game.

NOTES

• CCSU leads the all-time series, 37-35, but Sacred Heart has won 14 straight meetings.
• Snoddy was 8-of-11 from the floor and grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
• Abdul Momoh added 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting. He had two blocked shots and five rebounds.
• Central outrebounded SHU, 36-31, and had a 18-5 edge in second chance points.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils play one final non-conference tilt, traveling to Hartford on Wednesday.