NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team made the short trip to New Britain on Saturday afternoon and handed Central Connecticut a 73-55 loss at the Blue Devils' Detrick Gymnasium. 

The Pioneers extended their win streak to nine games, the team's longest since winning 11 consecutive in the 2015-16 season. With the victory, SHU improved to 12-1 in league play and has clinched a top-two seed heading into the Northeast Conference (NEC) playoffs. 

Ny'Ceara Pryor posted another outstanding effort against the Blue Devils, finishing one point shy of tying her career high with 26 points. She went 10-for-17 from the floor and tallied five rebounds and two assists. Olivia Tucker also crossed double-figures with 11 points and four assists. 

SHU posted one of their best shooting performances of the season against CCSU, going 29-for-56 for a .518 field goal percentage. The Pios finished .001 from tying their best shooting performance of the year against FDU on Jan. 27.

Records:
Sacred Heart: 18-9, 12-1 NEC
CCSU: 7-19, 5-8 NEC

Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 26 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Olivia Tucker: 11 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Sajada Bonner: 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 3-pointers

How It Happened:
The Pioneers started the game on a tear, ripping off nine straight points over the opening 3:03. Sajada Bonner led the way for SHU over the run, hitting two 3-pointers over 21 seconds. The Blue Devils answered with a 12-2 run to take the advantage, 12-11, at the 4:29 mark. Tucker hit a three in the next possession to give the Pioneers back the lead, which they held heading into the second, 20-19. 

Sacred Heart started off the second like the first, scoring six straight to force a CCSU timeout, leading 26-19. Pryor hit a pair of driving layups in the 2:21 stretch, while Kelsey Wood hit the remaining bucket off an assist from her sister, Amelia Wood. The Pioneers led by as much as nine in the quarter, ultimately taking a five-point advantage, 35-30, into the halftime break. 

For the third consecutive period, the Pios started the frame with an extended run, scoring nine consecutive over the first 1:23 to go ahead 44-30. Pryor hit two straight and-one layups in the run, posting six points in the run. The Blue Devils were again ready with an answer, cutting the margin to seven, 51-44, heading to the final quarter. 

The Pioneers dominated the fourth quarter, winning the frame by a 22-11 margin. SHU's lead grew to as high as 19 following a pair of free throws from Thai Davis before securing the 73-55 road victory. 

Up Next:
The Pioneers return to the Pitt Center on Thursday, Feb. 29, to play Stonehill at 7 p.m. in their penultimate 2023-24 regular season home game.