SHU to Welcome New Hampshire for 5 PM Tip on Saturday
12/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sacred Heart (5-4, 0-0 NEC) vs. New Hampshire (6-3, 0-0 America East)
Setting the Scene... In a matchup of teams that have already matched thier win total from 2013-14, Sacred Heart will host New Hampshire at 5 pm on Saturday evening looking for the programs first four-game home winning streak since a five-game winning streak in January and February of 2013.
Toys for Tots... Sacred Heart University will be partnering with Toys for Tots over the next three SHU home games on December 14, 17, and 20. Any fan that brings a new, unwrapped toy to any one of those games, will receive a free ticket to future game.
Series History... SHU has defeated New Hampshire each of the three times the two teams have met. The first ever meeting came on November 23, 2010 in the Pitt Center, with the Pioneers prevailing, 50-42. The past two meetings have come at New Hampshire, with Sacred Heart winning 77-59 on December 29, 2011, and, 66-53, earlier this year January 4, 2014.
Last Meeting... The Sacred Heart Pioneers used a 20-1 second half run to fuel a 66-53 win over the University of New Hampshire January 4 at Lundholm Gymnasium. Steve Glowiak (New Britain, CT) led the way for SHU with 17 points off the bench, while De'von Barnett (Waldorf, MD) added a then career-high 15. Senior Louis Montes(Brockton, MA) chipped in with 12 points, and junior Phil Gaetano (Wallingford, CT) added seven assists to go along with a couple of key three-pointers.
All-Time vs. Current America East Teams... Since moving to Division I in 1999, Sacred Heart is 17-25 against teams that are currently in the America East, including 1-1 this year. The only team that SHU has not faced in the Division I era is Binghamton.
Vermont 0-2 UMBC 2-8
Albany 3-3 UMass Lowell 0-1
Hartford 4-6 Stony Brook 5-2
Maine 0-3 New Hampshire 3-0
Against the America East in 2014-15... The Pioneers will be looking to finish with a winning record against the America East on the year, as they have already played Hartford and UMass Lowell, going 1-1:
November 14 - Defeated Hartford, 71-53
November 20 - Lost to UMass Lowell, 57-54
Scouting New Hampshire... Through nine games, the Wildcats have already matched their win total from the entire 2013-14 season, as they have began the season 6-3. After starting the season 1-2, they have won five of their past six games, including a 63-57 victory on Sunday against Colgate. UNH has already faced two opponents from the Northeast Conference. It fell to Bryant, 72-63, on November 20, and then defeated LIU Brooklyn, 72-56, on December 3. New Hampshire's fast start can be attributed to its defense, which has held opponents to just 57.2 points per game and 38.8 percent shooting from the floor. The Wildcats also crash the boards, outrebounding foes by an average of 6.6 per game. Offensively, three players scored in double figures, led by freshman Tanner Leissner, who is averaging 12.8 points per contest, as well as a team-leading 5.9 rebounds. Daniel Dion adds 11.9 points on a team-high 2.6 three-point baskets per game. Jaleen Smith contributes 11 points per contest, averaging a team-leading 30.6 minutes. UNH has already had nine players start in games to start the season, as nine different players also average at least 17 minutes each time out.
Career Numbers vs. New Hampshire...
NAME (GP) PPG RPG APG MPG
Gaetano (2) 4 2.5 5 29.5
Glowiak (2) 8.5 3.5 2 19
Evan Kelley (2) 7.5 3 2.5 30
Tevin Falzon (1) 4 4 - 14
Barnett (1) 15 6 2 30
Cole Walton (1) - - - 3
Eyimofe Edukugho (1) 1 1 - 7
Common Opponent... Both Sacred Heart and New Hampshire have defeated Colgate this season. SHU did so on December 3, 71-70, while the Wildcats were victorious, 63-57, last Sunday, December 14.
Turning the Tide... With the win over Mitchell, Sacred Heart matched its win total from the entire 2013-14 at 5, in just the ninth game. New Hampshire did the same on Sunday against Colgate, winning its sixth game of year.
Winning in the Pitt... With three straight wins in the William H. Pitt Center over Campbell, Holy Cross, and Mitchell SHU is off to its best start at home since the 2011-12 season, when it also started 3-1. The Pioneers have not won four of their first five at the Pitt since 2009-2010, when it was victorious in six straight in the venue to start the season. Prior to the win over Campbell, the Pioneers were 1-15 in their previous 16 at the Pitt.
Four-Game Home Winning Streak... A four-game home winning streak would be the first for SHU since a five in a row from January 3, 2013 to February 7, 2013.
Hot Shooting in Three Straight.. SHU has shot at least 52.5 percent in each of the last three games. The Pioneers only shot 50 percent three times all of last year. The previous time that they have shot a percentage that well in three straight was a three-game stretch from February 8-16, 2012.
Top Two Offense... SHU ranks first in the NEC in scoring offense (72.6) and second in FG percentage (.464).
-In wins the offense is averaging 73.5 points on 53.4 percent shooting, while in losses the offense has only managed 63.8 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting from the floor.
-Sacred Heart is averaging 84.2 points in December after scoring just 63.2 per game in November.
Stingy Defense... The Pioneer defense ranks 2nd in the NEC in FG percentage defense, holding opponents to 42.8 percent shooting. They have held four of nine foes to under 40 percent shooting on the year.
-In games where opponents are shooting under 50 percent, the Pioneers are 5-2.
-In wins, SHU is holding opponents to .371 percent from the floor, while in losses the opponent is shooting .484.
-Despite being first in FG percentage defense, they still rank 7th in ppg allowed (71.7)
