NEC Front Row | Live Stats | SHU Game Notes 
In a season in which Sacred Heart had to endure a younger and more inexperienced roster, Jessica Mannetti's team enters the 2022 Northeast Conference Tournament with a sense of new life and a restart to the season. 
 
The Pioneers enter the conference tournament as the league's eighth seed, where they will host in-state rival Central Connecticut State inside the Pitt Center on Saturday. 
 
"It's fun to think about what can happen despite everything that has happened," Mannetti said. "I always remind them to look up and see the banners and see the achievements. There's an expectation to continue that tradition."
 
After missing postseason play for the first time in two decades last season, Sacred Heart found itself struggle through conference play after a 3-1 start to the slate. Throughout the conference slate, Mannetti ensured that accountability would be the motto for this season's team as they  headed toward the postseason. 
 
"The message has been the same since day one," stated Mannetti. "What levels of accountability are we taking and holding to each other? Accountability has been our word throughout the season. When we went through that losing streak, we pointed that finger of accountability throughout the team." 
 
Along with holding her team accountable, Mannetti has also leaned on her upperclassmen leaders such as Nikki Johnson and Adrianne Hagood, to remind the team of the traditions that the program is accustomed to. Hagood and Johnson were each a part of Sacred Heart's last postseason appearance in 2019. 
 
"We have a lot of players who do not have a lot of experience in conference in terms of being competitive and the pride of putting on a Sacred Heart jersey," Mannetti said. "We have two classes here that have no idea about what we are expected to do in this conference. Some of our younger players are gaining good game experience this year. The culture is starting to be recognized again." 
 
As the culture begins to return to its normal state within the program, Mannetti added that a season like this has helped her improve as a coach while learning lessons that will help her in the years to come.
 
"This year has been a year of challenges. I have an unbelievable staff around me," Mannetti added. "Their inside perspective is different in terms of where the culture is, which has helped me open my eyes. There's a been a little bit of a leadership drop-off. You don't get better as a coach without years like this." 
 
Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut last met over a month ago in January. Thanks to an 18-point performance from Sonia Smith and a double-double from Kelsey Wood, the Pioneers came out on top, 63-56, for their eighth-straight victory over CCSU. The seven-point triumph was the only meeting between the two teams this season after the Blue Devils were forced to forfeit earlier in the year. 
 
The winner of the Saturday's play-in game will face top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the NEC Quarterfinals on Monday.