FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Joey Reilly matched his season-high with 19 points, leading the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team to a 79-67 victory to open Northeast Conference play against Saint Francis at home on Thursday morning in the William H. Pitt Center. Reilly led three players in double figures as the Pioneers won their third straight home game.

Records:
SHU: 7-9, 1-0 NEC
Saint Francis: 5-9, 0-1 NEC

Leaders:
Joey Reilly: 19 points, 2 steals
Nico Galette: 18 points, 2 steals
Alex Sobel: 17 points, 5 rebounds

Of Note:
Sacred Heart opened up conference play with a win for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Alex Sobel got the hot hand early as he had eight of the Pioneers' 11 points through the first five minutes of the game. With a four-point lead at 14:53, Nico Galette made back-to-back layups to spark a 13-2 run, including a big-time play from Reilly as he knocked down a three-pointer, picked up a steal on the next defensive play and brought it in for a layup and-one to give SHU its first double-digit lead of the game. A trey from Raheem Solomon capped off the run as the Pioneers held a 24-15 advantage at 9:21 in the first half.

The Red Flash hit a three-pointer to cut their deficit to 12, but Sacred Heart answered again with a 12-0 run, extending to a 24-point lead, its largest of the game, 41-17, with 2:55 left until the half. SHU maintained a 20-point lead, but in the final seconds of the half, SFU cut it to 19 as SHU led 45-26 at the break.

Saint Francis clawing its way out of the double-figure deficit through the second half. A three-pointer for the Red Flash brought SFU within seven at 11:19 in the second half, but with back-to-back buckets for Galette and a Reilly jumper, SHU went ahead, 65-52.

SHU took a 14-point lead off a layup from Raymond Espinal-Guzman with 4:55 left in the game. Saint Francis cut the deficit to nine with less than a minute left, but three free throws for SHU secured the Pioneers 79-67 NEC victory.

Sobel tallied his 300th career block as he recorded four today in the victory. Reilly shot 70% from the field as he hit his season-high 19 points for the third time this season. Overall, the Pioneers shot 52.6% from the field.

Up Next:
Sacred Heart will hit the road to take on Merrimack on Saturday, January 6, at 3:00 pm.