PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team fell, 81-70 to Temple on the road on Monday evening to open the 2024-25 season. Tanner Thomas led four Pioneers in double figures and Bryce Johnson recorded his first double-double of the season in the loss. 

Records: 
Sacred Heart: 0-1
Temple: 1-0 

Leaders: 
Tanner Thomas: 22 points, 4 rebounds 
Amiri Stewart: 13 points, 4 steals 
Aidan Carpenter: 11 points, 3 rebounds 
Bryce Johnson: 10 points, 11 rebounds 


Of Note:
Sacred Heart started the game strong, opening with a 7-2 run through the first three minutes of play. Temple pulled within two, 7-5 but Thomas made a layup sparking an 8-0 run, highlighted by a triple from Amiri Stewart and an and-one play from Mekhi Conner, put the Pioneers ahead 15-5. The Owls answered with a 10-0 run to tie the game at 15-15. 

For the next few minutes, the teams traded baskets and the lead with neither team going ahead by more than one, until Aidan Carpenter made back-to-back buckets to give the Pioneers a 20-17 edge. 

Temple went on a 7-0 run to take a 24-20 lead, but Keyishon Miller hit a triple, tallying his first points for the Pioneers, and Thomas made a fast break layup to take back the lead. 

With under four minutes left in the opening half, the Owls knocked down three straight triples to take a 35-29 lead. Temple held onto the lead but with a three-pointer from Thomas, and a last-second layup from Johnson, the Pioneers cut the deficit to one, 37-36, heading into halftime. 

After a quick dunk from Temple to open the second half, SHU scored six straight points, including four from Raymond Espinal-Guzman, to take a 42-39 lead. Temple pulled within one, but a jumper by Johnson and a dunk from Thomas gave SHU a five-point advantage. Sacred Heart maintained the edge and a dunk from Espinal-Guzman gave them a six-point lead.

Temple answered immediately, going on a 17-2 run, to take a 63-55 lead. With just over seven minutes left to play, Stewart pulled the Pioneers within five, but the Owls hit a three to go ahead, 67-59. 

Temple went ahead by nine, with just over four minutes remaining, but Sacred Heart was able to chip away and cut the deficit to four, 71-67, but the Owls were able to maintain the advantage through the final minutes and take the 81-70 final. 

The Pioneers shot 42.6 % (29-68) from the field and scored 24 points off turnovers. SHU outrebounded Temple 40-34.

Up Next: 
Sacred Heart will travel to UConn, taking on the back-to-back defending National Champions, on Wednesday, November 6 at Gampel Pavilion at 7:00 pm.