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Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University Pioneers
Johnson
Greg Vasil

Pioneers to Host Wagner in NEC Quarterfinal

Sacred Heart will enter the NEC Tournament as the fourth seed.

2/28/2023 5:54:00 PM

FAIRFIELD, Conn.- The Sacred Heart men's basketball team opens the Northeast Conference Tournament as the fourth seed and will host the fifth seed, Wagner College, on Wednesday, March 1, at 7:00 PM. The Pioneers finished the regular season with a 15-16 overall record and were 8-8 in NEC play, while the Seahawks were 15-12 overall and 8-8 in the conference.

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Opening Tip:
  • Sacred Heart and Wagner will meet in the Northeast Conference quarterfinal. Sacred Heart is hosting its first NEC quarterfinal since the 2019-20 season, where they won 61-59 over Mount St. Mary's on March 4, 2020.
  • The Pioneers clinched the fourth seed in the NEC tournament with a victory over Central Connecticut, on Saturday.
  • Sacred Heart and Wagner split the season series both taking wins at their home courts.
  • SHU has qualified for the NEC Tournament for five straight years and eight of the last nine seasons.
  • The Pioneers are the #4 seed for the first time in its history.
  • Nico Galette was named to the All-NEC first team, and Joey Reilly earned a spot on the All-NEC third team.
  • Galette leads four players in double figures for Sacred Heart with 15.5 points per game. Reilly is second on the team in scoring (11.7), Raheem Solomon is third (10.7), and Bryce Johnson is fourth (10.1).
  • Johnson has 10 double-doubles this season, Galette has four, and Tanner Thomas has one. Johnson leads the team in rebounds, 8.2 per game, and Galette is second with 6.7.
  • Johnson leads the NEC in defensive rebounds with 199 and is fifth overall in the NEC in rebounds with 253, Galette is seventh overall with 209.
  • Kenneth Womack, a starter on the SHU football team, has been coming in off the bench recently for SHU basketball this season, averaging 13.4 minutes per game. He scored a career-high 15 points against FDU on 2/16.
Postseason History:
  • Sacred Heart has qualified for the NEC Tournament for five straight years and eight of the last nine seasons.
  • The Pioneers secured a home game with its win at CCSU on Saturday.
  • The Pioneers are the #4 seed for the first time in its history.
  • The Pioneers will be making their 14th NEC Tournament appearance and are 6-13 all-time in the postseason.
  • In 2020, SHU won its first postseason game since 2009 with a quarterfinal win over Mount St. Mary's at the Pitt Center.
  • SHU hosted NEC quarterfinal games in 2016, 2019, and 2020, and three straight seasons from 2007-09.
  • SHU reached the NEC title game as the #2 seed in 2008 (falling at CCSU) and #3 seed in 2009 (losing at home to Mount St. Mary's).
  • The Pioneers are 4-8 in the NEC quarterfinals.
  • SHU has compiled a 5-3 home record and a 1-10 away mark in NEC tourney play.
  • SHU is 1-10 all-time in the NEC Tournament against higher-seeded teams with the one win coming over Wagner in the 2008 semifinals.
  • SHU is 2-0 all-time against Wagner in the postseason, winning in the 2007 quarterfinals and the aforementioned 2008 semis.
  • SHU and Wagner split their season series, with each team defending its home court.
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