Jan. 9, 2006

Final Stats

FAIRFIELD, CT - Senior center Kibwe Trim (San Juan, Trinidad) knocked home a layup in the final 35 seconds and sophomore Gene Pettway (Bridgeport, CT) sank two free throws with :09 remaining to lead the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team to a 74-71 win over visiting Central Connecticut State University in a Northeast Conference game Monday night.

Sacred Heart, 6-7 overall and 3-1 in the NEC, led 36-34 at the intermission thanks to shooting a blistering 65 percent (15-23) from the field in the half. Central Connecticut, 6-6 and 2-1, hung with the Pioneers thanks to canning five threes in the half and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.

The Blue Devils came out strong defensively in the second half and used that to take a 44-38 lead in the first three minutes. Sophomore Tristan Blackwood, who finished with 16 points, canned a pair of treys in the run. Another Blackwood three with 15:18 to play had CCSU up 48-43.

The Pioneers hung around and a Jarrid Frye layup with 8:18 to go tied the game at 57-57. SHU retook the lead on a pair of Trim free throws with 7:54 left, but a 9-2 Central Connecticut run, capped by yet another Blackwood three, had them back up five at 66-61.

Again the Pioneers battled back and a Pettway jumper with 2:50 left cut the Central lead to 66-65. After Junior Obie Nwadike made just one of two free throws for the Blue Devils, Frye converted a Pioneer layup to tie the game at 67-67 with 2:04 remaining.

With Central up 69-67, Frye was fouled on a drive to the basket, made the layup and the free throw to give SHU a 70-69 lead with 1:16 to play. Blackwood drove the left baseline and hit a layup with :52 left to help CCSU retake the lead. The Pioneers ran an out-of-bounds play under their basket with :34 left and Trim banked home a layup to give the Pioneers the lead back at 72-71.

Junior Lenny Jefferson missed a jumper at the other end for Central with :14 left and Pettway was fouled after grabbing the rebound. He calmly sank both with 9.9 seconds left for the three-point bulge. Blackwood launched a three with :02 left for Central that bounced off the right side of the rim to preserve the Pioneer victory.

Trim finished with a game-high 24 points for the Pioneers, on ten of 12 shooting, and nine rebounds. Frye would collect 22 points. Sophomore guard Drew Shubik had a career-high eight assists in the game for the Pioneers.

Senior Justin Chiera led the Blue Devils with 17 points. Nwadike finished with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.