FAIRFIELD, Conn.— For the first time in program history, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team defeated Fairfield University, 77-71, on Saturday evening on the road in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action. With the victory, the Pioneers improve their win streak to five, hitting their best win streak since February 2017. 

Mekhi Conner and Nyle Ralph-Beyer scored 20 points apiece, a new career-high for Conner, and Ralph-Beyer matched his career-high. Tanner Thomas tallied his third double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Amiri Stewart scored 17 points to round up double-figure performances for SHU. Bryce Johnson brought down 10 rebounds. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 11-12, (7-5 MAAC)
Fairfield: 9-15, (5-8 MAAC)

Leaders:
Mekhi Conner: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Nyle Ralph-Beyer: 20 points, 3 rebounds
Amiri Stewart: 17 points, 4 rebounds 
Tanner Thomas: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Bryce Johnson: 10 rebounds 

Of Note:
With the game tied at 65 with 3:22 left, the rookies took control for the Pioneers. Ralph-Beyer hit his fourth triple of the day to put Sacred Heart ahead by three with 2:19 left to play. With 44 seconds left, Conner hit the dagger three, extending the Pios lead, 71-65. 

In the remaining time, Sacred Heart went ahead by as many as seven, and the Stags pulled within five three times, but Thomas' final free throw secured the 77-71 final. 

Coming out of halftime tied up, Fairfield struck first, scoring five straight to take a 38-33 lead. A three-pointer for Conner at 16:50 sparked a 7-0, with five points from Conner, as the Pioneers jumped back ahead, 42-40. Fairfield was right there with an answer to tie it up at 42. 

A pair of treys for Conner and Ralph-Beyer gave SHU a one-point edge until the Stags answered and led by as many as five. However, a layup for Ralph-Beyer tied the game at 63, and an Amiri Stewart layup put the Pios ahead, 65-63, at 4:22. 

After trailing by four, 9-5, at 17:28 in the first, Thomas knocked down a three-pointer, sparking a 14-0 run, pushing the Pioneers ahead, 19-9. Fairfield answered with a triple, but seven straight points gave SHU a 26-12 edge at 7:41 in the first half. After a Stewart layup, the Stags answered with an 11-0 run to pull within three, 28-25 at the four-minute mark. 

Conner scored five straight to extend SHU's lead, 33-25 but an 8-0 Fairfield run, including a layup at the buzzer, to tie the game, 33-33, at the half. 

Sacred Heart shot 45% (27-60) from the field and 30.3% (10-33) from behind the arc. Conner was 6-of-13 from the field and 4-for-10 from three-point range, while Ralph-Beyer was 6-of-11 from the field and was 4-for-8 from downtown. Stewart was an impressive 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. 

"It was a get crowd, great environment, right down the road," said Head Coach Anthony Latina.  "It was important for us to establish ourselves and show that we are a good team and can do some things. We did a good job, and they did a good job answering. It was a tough league game in February; you got to make some plays and play gritty." 

Up Next: 
Sacred Heart will be back in action at home on Friday, February 14, at 7:00 pm, hosting Quinnipiac in the Pitt Center. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.