VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team went toe-to-toe early with Villanova, but a blistering shooting night from beyond the arc proved too much to overcome as the Pioneers fell, 94–60, on Tuesday night at Finneran Pavilion in the second game of the Villanova Challenge.

Records
Sacred Heart: 1–2
Villanova: 2–1

Leaders
Mekhi Conner: 15 points, 4 rebounds
Yann Farell: 11 points, 4 rebounds

How It Happened
Sacred Heart traded baskets with Villanova early, as back-to-back triples from Yann Farell and Mekhi Conner gave the Pioneers a 17–13 lead with just under 13 minutes to play in the first half. The Wildcats answered with a decisive run fueled by their outside shooting, hitting 13 three-pointers in the opening period to build a 52–26 advantage at halftime.

The Pioneers came out with renewed energy after the break, continuing to move the ball and generate open looks. Conner and Farell each connected from deep, while Anquan Hill attacked the rim to keep SHU competitive throughout the second half. Sacred Heart shot 46% from three in the period and recorded nine assists on 13 made field goals after halftime.

As a team, Sacred Heart shot 41% (23–56) from the field and 40% (12–30) from three, with seven different players connecting from long range.

Of Note
Conner led the Pioneers with 15 points, knocking down four three-pointers to go with four rebounds and two assists. Farell followed with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including three makes from beyond the arc, while Fallou Gueye added eight points, three rebounds, and three assists off the bench.

Hill filled the stat sheet with seven points, four assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while Abdou Yadd also scored seven. Taj Bryant dished out three assists and hit a three-pointer for SHU, which finished with 12 threes as a team.

Up Next
Sacred Heart wraps up the Villanova Challenge with a trip to North Carolina to take on Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3 p.m.