FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Coming off back-to-back home Northeast Conference victories, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team heads to Central Connecticut State University, which sits atop of the NEC standings. The Pioneers will travel to New Britain, Conn. on Thursday, February 8, at 7:00 pm to take on the Blue Devils for the first time this season. 

Live Stats | NEC Front Row | Game Notes 

RECORDS: 
SHU: 12-12, 6-3 NEC
CCSU: 13-9, 7-2 NEC

LAST TIME OUT:

• Sacred Heart defeated Le Moyne on Saturday afternoon, 87-81
• Raheem Solomon scored a season-high 23 points to lead the Pioneers. He shot 9-for-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range.  
• Nico Galette recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He has scored 20+ points in seven games this season. 
• Brendan McGuire had his second consecutive game with double-digit assists with 10. 
• SHU had 35 bench points as the Pioneers swept Le Moyne in the season series.  

OPENING TIP:

• Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut meet for the first time this season on Thursday. The Pioneers have won the last 15 games against CCSU. This will be the 63rd all-time meeting between the two teams, dating back to 1970-71. 
• SHU opens a three-game road trip starting with CCSU, after winning back-to-back home games against Stonehill and Le Moyne. The Pios will travel to LIU on Saturday and will be back in action the following Saturday at Wagner.  
• Sacred Heart is 6-3 in Northeast Conference play and sits in third place in the standings. The Pioneers have swept Le Moyne and split the season series with Saint Francis. SHU has wins over Wagner, Stonehill, and LIU. The three losses have all come on the road at Merrimack, FDU, and Saint Francis. The Pios are undefeated at home in NEC play. 
• Three active Pioneers are averaging in double figures: Nico Galette (14.1), Joey Reilly (11.8), and Alex Sobel (11.4). Sobel leads the team in rebounds (7.3), and Galette is second with 6.7 rpg.
• Sobel is fourth in the nation in blocks with 64 (as of 2/6) and is fifth in blocks per game with 2.78.
• SHU has four active 1,000-point scorers which is tied for the third most in the NCAA.  
• Reilly, Galette, and Tanner Thomas have brought in NEC Player of the Week awards for the Pioneers this season. Sobel has been a Prime Performer three times. 
• Galette, Reilly, and Kyle McGee were voted captains for 2023-24.
• SHU was selected first in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Galette and Reilly were selected to the All-NEC preseason team.