Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Robert Morris
Shubik Leads Pioneers Past Robert Morris, 84-82
1/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2007
MOON TOWNSHIP, PA - Junior guard Drew Shubik (Stoystown, PA) poured in a career-high 28 points, had six assists, a blocked shot and five steals to lead the Sacred Heart University Pioneers to an 84-82 victory over Robert Morris University in a Northeast Conference men's basketball game Thursday night.
Sacred Heart, 9-8 overall and tied for first in the NEC at 5-1, led for the majority of the first half thanks to deadly outside shooting from Shubik and junior Luke Granato (Rocky Hill, CT). Granato scored all 11 of his points in the first half, while Shubik finished the period with 18.
The Colonials, 11-5 and 3-4, took advantage of SHU turnovers and strong offensive rebounding to erase the Pioneer lead and actually go into the intermission leading 43-36. RMU would score 22 points in the game off second-chance baskets.
The Pioneers scored the first bucket of the second half, but six minutes in SHU found itself trailing by 11 at 59-48 with 14:06 left on a dunk by A.J. Jackson. Jackson finished the game with 21 points. Sacred Heart clawed back and a pair of free throws by Shubik with 9:30 left tied the game at 64-64.
A dunk from sophomore Liam Potter (Lincolnshire, UK) and a trey by Shubik gave the Pioneers the next five points and a 69-64 lead with 7:54 left. Junior Brice Brooks (Silverdale, WA) kept the lead at five with a jumper with 6:37 to play before the Colonials made another run. A three-point play by Derek Coleman with 4:49 to go tied the score at 75-75 and, after a SHU turnover, Tony Lee gave the Colonials a 77-75 advantage.
An offensive put-back by Brooks with 1:30 to play gave the Pioneers the lead again at 81-79. After Lee missed a three for RMU, Tavio Hobson (Seattle, WA) was fouled and went to the line where he sunk one of two to give the Pioneers a three-point lead with :33 left. The Colonials turned it over on their next trip and Brooks made one of two to give his team a four-point lead with :22 left.
Coleman was fouled with :16 left and made both to cut the gap to two. The Colonials fouled Hobson on the next trip down with :10 left, but the senior missed both tries. The rebound on the second shot went toward the sideline and Lee grabbed it for Robert Morris but stepped out of bounds with :04 left. Shubik was fouled on the inbound pass and missed the first of two. He made the second to make it 84-81.
The Pioneers called timeout and out of the break, Shubik fouled Coleman at mid-court to prevent a possible three-point attempt with :02 left. Coleman made the first and missed the second intentionally. Ifeanyi Ehirim grabbed the long rebound but was falling out of bounds when he did. He tried to throw the ball at the basket, but it fell well short to allow the Pioneers to escape.
"We told them at halftime that we had to outscore them, but we couldn't do it if they scored as freely," said head coach Dave Bike.
"Coleman was having one of those days and we made a defensive switch to put Drew Shubik on him," Bike continued. "Drew was having an incredible offensive night but we won the game with his defense. This was really one of those games where we could go right down the scoresheet and pick out great things that everyone did. It was a total team effort."
