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The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team begins 2020 and Northeast Conference play as it welcomes Merrimack College to the Pitt Center. The game marks the first NEC game for the Warriors, who are in the first year of transitioning to Division I status. The Pioneers are 7-6 on the year, while the Warriors are 6-7. Both teams lost their non-conference finales on Sunday. The game is available on NECFrontRow with Randy Brochu and Joe DeSantis.
Youth, 12 and under, wearing a CYO jersey will be admitted to the game free. In addition, adult general admission tickets are just $0.20, when purchasing five or more, in celebration of the New Year.
The Pioneers and Warriors are meeting for the 17th time, with the Pioneers holding a 13-3 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last met at the 1998 Merrimack Tournament, a 93-79 Pioneers win on December 27th of that year. The first meeting came in 1966, a 115-96 win by the Warriors. The Pioneers earned their first win in the series on December 4, 1968, 82-76, on the road.
Quick Hitters
- The Pioneers open NEC play at home for the fourth consecutive season
- Cameron Parker earned NEC Prime Performer recognition following a 16-point, eight-rebound, and seven-assist effort against Lafayette
- The Pioneers are 2-1 at home in 2019-20 and are playing the second of two consecutive home games, sandwiching New Year's
- Four Pioneers rank in the top-8 in the NEC in free throw percentage entering league play
- SHU is 7-0 when scoring over 73 points
- The Pioneers are third in the nation in free throw shooting (through 12/29), hitting at a clip of 80.7 percent
- E.J. Anosike averaged a double-double in non-conference play, at 16.2 points and 10.7 rebounds a game
- Cameron Parker is third in the nation at 8.7 assists per game, while his 113 helpers is second most in the country, through 12/29
- Jare'l Spellman remains 21st in the nation at 2.6 blocks per game, and moved up to 17th nationally with his 34 total blocks, through 12/29
- The Pioneers are +0.6 in turnover margin in its seven games won, averaging 13.7 turnovers a game - 3.3 fewer turnovers per game than in its six losses
NEC Openers
- SHU is 11-9 in NEC openers since elevating to the Division I level for the 1999-2000 season
- The Pioneers first NEC game came on December 8, 1999, at Quinnipiac, an 83-70 loss
- SHU is 2-4 in NEC season openers during the Anthony Latina era, with a 79-75 win at home (1/3/18) last season over LIU
- SHU has opened NEC play at home 14 times, going 7-7 in those outings
Board Talk
- The Pioneers remain 13th in the nation, through 12/29, averaging 42 rebounds per game
- SHU also leads in the NEC in total rebounds, 546, as well as rebounds per game, rebound margin (+3.4) and offensive rebounds per game (12.62)
- E.J. Anosike ranks 15th, (through 12/29) in the country with his 10.7 rebounds per game, while his 139 total boards is good for 13th - both numbers are tops in the NEC
- Anosike leads the NEC in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 3.85 an outing
- Jare'l Spellman is fourth in the NEC, at 8.2 caroms an outing
Keep An Eye
