Feb. 16, 2008

Final Stats |  Quotes

FAIRFIELD, CT - Senior Brice Brooks scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Sacred Heart men's basketball team shot 58 percent from the field in the second half, to defeat visiting St. Francis University 73-57 Saturday afternoon.

Sacred Heart, 15-11 overall and 12-3 in the Northeast Conference, led 14-10 with 12:57 left in the first half after a Gene Pettway layup. St. Francis then used a 15-3 spurt to take a 25-17 lead with 6:54 to go. Steve Profeta and Cale Nelson each canned treys in the Red Flash run.

The Pioneers held St. Francis without a field goal for the rest of the half, taking a 33-28 lead into the intermission. Sophomore Chauncey Hardy hit a pair of threes down the stretch to help the Pioneers to the halftime lead.

Sacred Heart held its advantage at the start of the second half and led 43-37 with 10:51 left after Marquis Ford hit a jumper for St. Francis. It was the last field goal for the Red Flash until Chris Berry hit one with 2:04 left. By then St. Francis trailed 68-49.

Ryan Litke finished with 12 points for the Pioneers, the only other Pioneer to finish in double figures.

Bassirou Dieng led St. Francis with 19 points and seven rebounds. Ford finished with ten points.

The 12th NEC win of the season equals the Pioneer total from last season, with three games still to play. The Pioneers will be off until they play Quinnipiac next Saturday at 4:00 in Hamden.