FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Monday afternoon, welcoming Merrimack to the Pitt Center to jump back into the league portion of its schedule. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., and admission is free for all fans.

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OPENING TIP

• Sacred Heart and Merrimack meet for the first time since the 2025 MAAC Tournament Quarterfinals. The two programs have a long-standing rivalry dating back to 1967, with SHU holding a 23–15 edge in the all-time series.
• Both teams enter Monday's matchup coming off losses, as the Pioneers fell at Towson, 72–47, while the Warriors dropped a 66–59 decision to Vermont.
• Abdou Yadd scored a team-high 16 points at Towson, leading three Pioneers in double figures, alongside Nyle Ralph-Beyer (11) and Jaden Slaughter (10).
• Dashon Gittens (15.1 ppg) and Anquan Hill (14.9 ppg) both rank among the MAAC's top 10 scorers, with Gittens eighth and Hill ninth.
• Sacred Heart ranks fifth in the MAAC in scoring offense (75.8 ppg) and leads the conference in three-pointers made per game (11.3).
• Three Pioneers are averaging double figures on the season: Gittens (15.1 ppg), Hill (14.9 ppg), and Ralph-Beyer (13.8 ppg).SHU was picked third in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and led the league with three preseason All-MAAC selections: Hill – First Team, Mekhi Conner – Second Team, Ralph-Beyer – Third Team
• Sacred Heart returns nine players from last year's roster.
• The team welcomes two transfers (Gittens, and Yann Farell) and four first-year players.
• Sacred Heart enters its second season in the MAAC after a strong debut campaign that included a seventh-place finish and a conference tournament win over Fairfield to advance to the quarterfinals.
• The Pioneers feature three student-athletes from Africa: Fallou Gueye, Farell, and Yadd.
• Sacred Heart is celebrating its 60th season of men's basketball.
• Head coach Anthony Latina enters his 13th season leading the program.

SCOUTING MERRIMACK   

• Merrimack is 2-0 in MAAC play so far, defeating Rider and Fairfield at home.
• Three players are averaging double figures: Kevair Kennedy (15.2), Ernest Shelton (14.6), and Tye Dorset (10.8).
• Todd Brogna leads the team in rebounds (4.4)
• Merrimack was selected seventh in the MAAC Preseason Poll.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Sacred Heart fell to Towson, 72-47, on Monday, Dec. 22.
• Three Pioneers scored in double figures, led by Yadd (16), Ralph-Beyer (11), and Slaughter (10)
• After trailing by as many as 15 points in the opening half, SHU sparked a run to pull within four at halftime, 31-27.
• Sacred Heart came out hot in the second half, coming from behind and taking a four-point lead. Towson responded with a decisive 14-0 run and put the game out of reach for the Pioneers.
• Sacred Heart was without Anquan Hill and Yann Farell.

INSIDE THE RANKINGS

• Sacred Heart's offense ranks fifth in the MAAC at 75.8 points per game.
• The Pioneers lead the conference with 143 made three-pointers, averaging 11.0 per game, 20th nationally.
• SHU also sits 15th in the country in three-point attempts per game (31.5).
• Dashon Gittens is eighth in the MAAC in scoring at 15.1 ppg. He also owns the fourth-best field-goal percentage in the conference at 55.9% and ranks ninth in the league in blocks 0.9 pg.
• Hill is ninth in scoring at 14.9 points per game and in rebounding (6.2 rpg).
• Ralph-Beyer (.466) and Farell (.429) are third and sixth in the MAAC in three-point percentage, and Ralph-Beyer is ranked 26th nationally and is 41st in 3PT per game (309).
• Mekhi Conner leads in the conference with 5.9 assists per game, which is 27th nationally, and he holds the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAAC at 2.3. His 77 assists are 22nd in the country.