NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Anquan Hill poured in a career-high 34 points to lead four Pioneers in double figures, but the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team fell just short in a 108–106 overtime battle at Central Connecticut State on Monday evening. Dashon Gittens added a career-high 22 points, Yann Farell posted a season-high 20, and Fallou Gueye chipped in 11 in the setback.

Records:
Sacred Heart: 2–4
CCSU: 4–2

Leaders:
Anquan Hill: 34 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Dashon Gittens: 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Yann Farell: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Fallou Gueye: 11 points, 1 assist, 1 steal

How it happened:
Both teams came out hot, trading baskets throughout a tightly contested opening half in which neither led by more than four until a CCSU layup at the 2:28 mark made it a five-point game.

A three-pointer from Nyle Ralph-Beyer pulled the Pioneers back within two with under a minute remaining, but the Blue Devils responded with back-to-back buckets to stretch their lead to six. A triple from Gittens just before the buzzer sent SHU into halftime trailing 54–51.

Sacred Heart shot 66.7% (8–12) from three and 55.2% (16-29) from the field in the opening period.

CCSU opened the second half with a 6–0 run, pushing the lead to nine before a pair of technicals sent Hill to the line for four straight free throws, trimming the deficit to 59–55. Central answered immediately with a 7–0 run, taking its largest lead of the game at 66–55.
 
The Pioneers responded with their own 8–0 run fueled by Gittens, Farell, and Gueye, pulling within 66–63 at the 14:38 mark.

SHU continued chipping away, and a driving layup from Farell at 4:11 gave Sacred Heart its first lead of the second half, 84–83. Hill's and-one finish with 2:34 remaining pushed the advantage to five as the Pioneers looked to close it out. CCSU rallied late, tying the game 93–93 on a three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to force overtime.

Farell opened the extra period by drilling a three to put SHU ahead 96–93, and the teams continued to trade blows with neither leading by more than three. A CCSU layup at 1:28 made it 104–100 before Hill buried a deep three to pull the Pioneers within one.

After the Blue Devils answered with a jumper, Mekhi Conner found Hill at the top of the arc, and he drilled his second three of the night to knot the score at 106–106 with 24 seconds left.

CCSU held for the final possession and converted a dunk with two seconds remaining, securing the two-point win.

Sacred Heart finished the night shooting 50.7% (34–67) from the field and 43.3% (13–30) from beyond the arc.

Of Note

• Hill's 34-point outing is the program's first 30-point performance since Tanner Thomas scored 30 against Siena on January 16, 2025.
• Gittens was nearly flawless from the field, shooting 7–9, including 3–4 from three, and a perfect 5–5 at the line.

Up Next
Sacred Heart returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 29, traveling to Penn State for a 6:00 p.m. match up.