March 4, 2007

Box Score

FAIRFIELD, CT - Freshman Ryan Litke (Windsor, CT) scored a career-high 16 points, while junior Drew Shubik chipped in 16 and seven rebounds to lead the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team to an 83-69 win over #3 seed Quinnipiac University in the semifinals of the Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament Sunday afternoon. The #2 seeded Pioneers will face top-seeded Central Connecticut State in the championship game Wednesday night in New Britain, CT.

Quinnipiac, 14-15, scored the first seven points of the game. Sacred Heart finally got on the board with 15:15 to go in the first half on a layup by senior Tavio Hobson (Seattle, WA). That bucket was the start of a 10-0 run that put the Pioneers on top 10-7.

"Offensively we didn't have a good flow on offense in the beginning," said Hobson. "We were trying to do it all ourselves but we settled down. We also took care of the boards and it allows us to get going offensively."

The Bobcats retook the lead at 18-17 with 8:00 left in the half on a layup by junior Karl Anderson (Chester, NY). Litke gave the Pioneers the lead back with a trey on the next possession, but DeMario Anderson gave answered for Quinnipiac on the next two trips to put the Bobcats ahead 22-20 with 6:03 left.

Another Litke three with 4:01 to play gave SHU a 28-27 lead that it would convert into a 35-33 edge at the intermission. The Pioneers held Quinnipiac to 39 percent shooting in the half, including 0-11 from three-point range.

Senior Victor Akinyanju (Ardmore, MD) pulled the Bobcats even with a pair of free throws just 20 seconds into the second half but it would be the closest Quinnipiac would get the rest of the game. Two free throws from Brice Brooks with 16:54 left gave the Pioneers a 43-37 lead. Senior Chris Wehye (Brooklyn, NY) would get the Bobcats within two at 43-41 with a tip-in with 15:45 left, but a 7-0 Pioneer run capped by a Litke three put SHU up 48-41.

Freshman Chauncey Hardy (Middletown, CT) gave SHU a double-digit lead with two free throws with 7:53 left and Quinnipiac would get no closer down the stretch. Hardy finished the game with ten points and seven assists.

"We've had a lot of firsts this year and we have come a long way as a group," said SHU coach Dave Bike. "Sometimes you get stronger through adversity and learn from mistakes. This year, I was happy hosting a playoff game. Then we were happy we won. Next we were happy we won a semifinal game and we'll see what's next."

Quinnipiac finished the game just 1-19 from beyond the arc, and 38 percent from the field (25-66). Senior Adam Gonzalez led Quinnipiac with 20 points, including 10-13 from the free throw line, despite spending the four days prior in the hospital with an infection. DeMario Anderson had 14, while Wehye finished with 11.

"I'd like to congratulate Sacred Heart on its win today," said Quinnipiac coach Joe DeSantis. "They play hard, and they play well together. If they keep playing the way they have been playing, they're going to play in the NCAA tournament."

"We played with a purpose, especially in the first half and we pushed up the defense," DeSantis continued. "But when you shoot 1-for-19 in 3-pointers with open looks, it would have been closer if we had made the shots we usually do."

Hobson looks forward to the final game with Central Connecticut. "We match-up well with them. I think," he said. "There, we were buckling down on defense but we were careless at times on offense and that hurt us. Here, we came out flat and you can't turn things on and off. We will use the next few days to prepare."