The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team had six players reach double-figures in scoring as it defeated host Quinnipiac University, 97-80, in the final game of the Bobcats Invitational in Hamden, Conn., Sunday afternoon. The win improves the Pioneers to 3-4 on the year and drops the Bobcats to 2-3 on the season.

Cameron Parker handed out a career-high 16 assists, and recorded a double-double with 16 points. First-year Tyler Thomas and fifth-year senior Kinnon LaRose both scored 17 points to pace the Pioneers.

The Pioneers return to action on Sunday, December 1 when they host Pine Manor as part of the Bobcats Invitational. All youth in a basketball jersey will be admitted for $1.00 and those 12 and under can participate in a postgame shootaround on Coach Bike Court. In addition, the first 100 fans at the game will receive FREE Garden Catering.

The Turning Point

• Over a 7:51 stretch in the second-half, SHU shot 8-11, while holding Quinnipiac to 1-11 and ballooned a five-point lead to 25
• The Bobcats would never close within single-digits the remainder of the game

Pioneer Points

• Parker shot 5-8 from the field, hitting 3-5 from behind the line and 3-4 at the charity stripe
• The Thomas scoring total, a career-best, came on5-8 shooting and a 4-4 effort from the line
• Jare'l Spellman scored 15 on 7-9 shooting from the field, and he led the team with eight rebounds
• E.J. Anosike was 6-7 from the field, for 13 points, the same point total that Koreem Ozier provided
• LaRose was 7-13 from the field, with three three-pointers, and corralled six rebounds

By the Numbers

• The Pioneers shot a season-best 60 percent from the field, and reached 50 percent or better in three of its last four games
• SHU out rebounded Quinnipiac 34-31 in the game
• The Pioneers assisted on 26 of 36 field goals on Sunday, with the 26 being a season-best
• The Pioneers converted 13-27 from behind the arc, a single-game best this season
• The 12 turnovers the Pioneers committed is a season-low
• The Pioneers have on three of its last four games
• Tyrese Williams led the Bobcats with a game-high 22 points, on 8-13 shooting
• Kevin Marfo corralled a game-high nine boards, to go along with 15 boards

First-Half

• For the third consecutive game, SHU won the tip and drained a three-pointer on the first possession, as LaRose knocked down a three from Parker, eight seconds into the game
• Parker and LaRose swapped roles at 16:18, as LaRose fed Parker for a three to put SHU back in front, 8-7
• The largest lead either team opened over the next 5:00 minutes was three, 10-7 SHU after an Anosike jumper at the 15:30 mark
• Over the next six minutes, there were four times and five lead changes, the last at 21-21 on a Spellman jumper at 9:37
• Tyler Thomas drained a three nine seconds later as the Pioneers scored nine straight to build a 28-21 lead on a Tyler Dunk at the 8:02 mark
• Quinnipiac was able to close back within four 28-24, the closest they would get the rest of the half
• SHU was able to open the lead to as many as nine, 41-32 with 82 seconds left before the half
• Aaron Clarke scored with seven seconds left, answering a Kevin Marfo layup, and send the Pioneers to the break leading 43-34

Second-Half

• Tyrese Williams scored 55 seconds into the second-half to get the Bobcats within five points, 43-38
• Over the next 7:51 SHU shot 8-11 from the field and held the Bobcats to 1-11 to open the largest lead of the game, 66-41, with 10:14 to play
• The Bobcats scored six straight and 8 of 10 to get within nine, on a Williams layup with 8:43 to play
• SHU pushed its lead back to 20 with a Thomas put back at 6:25, making it 76-56
• The lead was 16, 86-70 with 3:13 to play after Thomas converted two free throws
• Quinnipiac outscored the Pioneers 10-5 over the next 1:30 to close within 11 points, 91-80
• Koreem Ozier made a layup with 63 ticks left and LaRose scored with 39 seconds left to push the advantage back to 15, 95-80