Nov. 30, 2008

Final Stats

FAIRFIELD, CT - Senior forward Ryon Howard (Bronx, NY) had 15 points, including four free throws in the final :15 to lead the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team to its first victory of the season, 63-57, over visiting Yale University Sunday afternoon. The win puts the Pioneer record at 1-3, while Yale drops to 1-4.

Yale opened up an early 8-2 leading, taking advantage of five Pioneer turnovers in the first four minutes of the game. Treys by juniors Ryan Litke (Windsor, CT) and Chauncey Hardy (Middletown, CT) kept the Pioneers close, and a Mehmet Sahan (Istanbul, Turkey) lay up with 7:11 to go in the first half gave the Pioneers a lead and they would never trail again.

SHU led 26-21 at the intermission thanks to a Howard three-pointer late in the half. The Pioneers held the lead despite shooting just 32 percent in the half, though Yale was hurt by hitting just one of 13 from the three-point line in the period.

Freshman Shane Gibson (Killingly, CT) hit a pair of three pointers in the first two minutes of the second half to help the Pioneers extend the lead to 32-24. The Bulldogs stayed pesky and a Jordan Gibson layup with 12:03 to play tied the game at 39-39. A couple of baskets by Howard and a three from Corey Hassan (Merrimack, NH) put the Pioneers ahead by eight again with 8:54 left, but again Yale rallied and tied it at 50-50 with 5:17 remaining.

Hardy answered with a three for Sacred Heart, and a Joey Henley layup following a Ross Morin layup for Yale gave the Pioneers a 55-52 lead with 2:51 to play. Two Hardy free throws with 1:27 to go had the Pioneers ahead 57-52. The junior committed a mental mistake on the next Yale possession, fouling Porter Braswell on a three-point attempt. Braswell made all three free throws and Yale was within two at 57-55 with 1:01 remaining.

A Gibson jumper with :34 left made it a two-possession game. After Travis Pinick missed a three for Yale with :20 left, the Bulldogs were forced to foul and grabbed Howard. He calmly made two free throws to give the Pioneers a six-point lead. He would make two more with :11 left and the Pioneers had their first win of the year.

Henley finished the game with his first double-double of the year (11 points, 12 rebounds) despite shooting just 5 of 12. He also blocked three shots. Hardy finished with 11, while Gibson added ten.

Morin led the Bulldogs with a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Alex Zampier was the only other Yale player in double figures with 17.