NEC Front Row | Live Stats | Sacred Heart Game Notes | Mount St. Mary's Game Notes

The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team looks to snap its longest losing streak since 2017 when they host Mount St. Mary's on Thursday at 7 p.m. on NEC Front Row.

OPENING TIP

• The Pioneers look to bounce back after dropping a 98-59 decision earlier this season at Mount St. Mary's. The 39-point defeat was the largest scoring margin this season for SHU as the Mountaineers post 1.48 points per possession. 
• In Emmitsburg, Md. Alex Watson notched a career-high 22 points which was his first 20-point performance of his career. Watson shot a career-best 5-of-6 from three-point range in the outing. 
• The Pioneers sit at a three-way tie for last place in the NEC with Saint Francis and Fairleigh Dickinson. SHU looks to stay out of the 8-9 play-in game with two more regular season contests at home. 
• Tanner Thomas enters Thursday as the NEC's Rookie of the Week for his 26-point outing at Merrimack. The award is SHU's first weekly nod of the season.

ROOKIE SZN
First-year Tanner Thomas posted a breakout game at Merrimack with his first double-digit scoring performance of his career. Thomas erupted for 26 points off a near-perfect 10-of-11 shooting from the field and a 6-for-7 clip from the stripe. The rookie added five rebounds and two assists in the process and earned himself NEC Rookie of the Week. The weekly honor was the first for SHU this season. 

ICY BRYCE-Y
Bryce Johnson has been on a role for the Pioneers. In the last four games, Johnson averages a double-double of 13 points and 10.8 rebounds. He had a career game at FDU when he notched career-bests in points (22), field goals made (8) and free throws made (5). Johnson also tied his season-best of 13 rebounds in his first 20-point performance of his career. Against the Knights, Johnson shot a near-perfect 8-of-9 from the field and the 6-6 forward also added a three in the process. The California native followed up with his fourth double-double of the season against Merrimack with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Johnson has led the Pioneers in rebounding in the last four games.

FROM LONG DISTANCE
Like any outside shooting team, you can get hot, but then you get cold. The Pioneers are currently feeling the February winter as they've averaged just 4.25 three's and post a three-point shooting percentage of 23.6% across the last four games. Despite the cold shooting, SHU ranks second in the league at 213 made three's per game.