FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart men's basketball team wrapped up the 2016 calendar year Saturday afternoon with a, 87-67 loss to the Saint Francis U Red Flash at the Pitt Center.

Junior guard Charles Tucker Jr. led the Pioneers with a season-high 19 points and nine assists. Chris Robinson added 10 points off the bench. De'von Barnett, Joseph Lopez, and Quincy McKnight each scored eight points.

Sacred Heart (5-10, 0-2 NEC) led 4-2 early on layups by Barnett and McKnight. Saint Francis U then came alive with a 15-0 run over 3:28 to take a 17-4 lead at the 14:54 mark. Keith Braxton scored eight of the 15 points, making two threes in the process. The Pioneers came back with a 10-2 run of their own as a Tucker triple made the score 19-14. SHU was within six, 22-16, with 10:45 to play in the half before Saint Francis went on a 9-0 spur to take a 31-16 lead. The Red Flash took a 14-point lead at halftime 42-28.

Saint Francis U (4-9, 1-1 NEC) continued to extend the lead in the second half. Back-to-back Braxton baskets gave the Red Flash a 60-39 lead with 12:59 to go. The Pioneers, who improved their shooting by 20% in the second half from 26.7 to 46.7, were only able to get as close as 19 points the rest of the way. 

SHU shot 36.7% from the field Saturday as Saint Francis shot 44.1%. The Red Flash was 14-of-15 at the foul line and outrebounded the Pioneers 46-36. Braxton led all players with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Isaiah Blackmon added 22 points.

The Pioneers open a four-game road trip on Thursday, Jan. 5 at Central Connecticut. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.