FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Sacred Heart men's basketball team shot 47.4% from the field Friday afternoon against the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers, but it was 14 Terriers three-pointers that proved to be the difference in a 73-68 loss at the Pitt Center.

Records

St. Francis Brooklyn - 4-9, 1-0 NEC

Sacred Heart - 5-9, 0-1 NEC

The Turning Point

SHU led 20-17 with 11:56 to play in the first when back-to-back threes by Glenn Sanabria sparked an 11-0 St. Francis Brooklyn run over the next 3:01 that put the Terriers ahead 28-20. The Pioneers cut the deficit to four, 30-26, with 5:36 to go on an Alex Watson jumper but St. Francis Brooklyn extended the lead to eight, 39-31, at halftime. The Terriers led 55-45 with 9:42 to play in the game when the Pioneers went on an 8-0 run to make it 55-53 at the 7:44 mark. A pair of Sean Hoehn free throws with 3:10 to go got SHU within one, 67-66, but that was as close as the Pioneers would get.

First Half

- A 7-0 run, capped by a Watson three, put SHU ahead 14-8 with 15:01 to go.

- De'von Barnett and Mario Matasovic combined for 12 of SHU's first 20  points.

- The Terriers took their largest lead of the half with 4:24 remaining. A Rasheem Dunn triple put St. Francis Brooklyn ahead 35-26.

- SHU had four assists to eight turnovers in the first half. St. Francis Brooklyn had eight assists to four turnovers.

- Alex Watson had all eight SHU bench points in the half.

Second Half

- SHU used a quick 6-0 run to get within five, 42-37, at the 17:52 mark. Matasovic scored five of those six points.

- St. Francis Brooklyn's first six field goals in the half were threes. The Terriers were 11-for-30 from the field in the second half with seven three-pointers.

- Back-to-back threes by Zach Radz and Kinnon LaRose got the Pioneers within two, 55-53, with 7:44 remaining.

- Radz made a pair of baskets late to get SHU within one, 60-59, with 5:58 left in the game.

Key Stats and Notes

- St. Francis Brooklyn was 14-for-31 from the three-point arc. SHU was 6-for-25 from long distance.

- The Pioneers had 16 turnovers and only forced 6 Terrier turnovers.

- Matasovic led all players with 17 points and nine rebounds.

- Barnett was 5-of-7 from the field for 11 points.

- Hoehn set a new career-high with eight rebounds, adding nine points and five assists.

- Chris Robinson also had a career high in rebounds with nine.

- Dunn led five Terriers in double-figures with 16 points.

Next Game

The Pioneers close out the calendar year on Sunday, Dec. 31 with a 2:30 p.m. game against Fairleigh Dickinson at the Pitt Center. The first 300 youth in attendance for Sunday's doubleheader will receive glow-in-the-dark 2018 glasses for New Year's Eve. Youth tickets are also $1 for Sunday's games, which start with the Sacred Heart women's basketball team hosting Robert Morris at 12 p.m.