ATLANTIC CITY, NJ.— The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team will make its Men's Basketball Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships debut as the seventh seed on Tuesday, March 11 at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, taking on the 10^th seed, Fairfield University in a First Round game at 8:30 pm.
 
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Opening Tip:

• Sacred Heart is making its debut in the MAAC Basketball Championship as the seventh seed and will take on 10th-seeded Fairfield in a first-round game to open the tournament. 
• The Pioneers swept the Stags in the season series, 77-71 and 83-62. 
• SHU is coming off a 90-88 road loss at Iona in the regular season finale, while Fairfield defeated Quinnipiac 83-74 on Saturday.
• Four players scored in double figures in the Pios loss at Iona: Tanner Thomas (20), Griffin Barrouk (17), Bryce Johnson (17), and Anquan Hill (13). 
• Three Pioneers are averaging double figures: Thomas (14.9), Hill (12.8), and Amiri Stewart (12.1). 
• Thomas is the team leader in rebounds with 6.3, followed by Bryce Johnson (5.9) and Hill (5.3).
• Mekhi Conner is 10th in the nation with 203 assists and in assists per game, with 6.5 this season.
• Sacred Heart's 9.7 three-pointers per game are tied for 33rd in the country, 38th in 3PT attempts at 27.5, and 30th in assists per game at 16.5.
• Thomas, Hill, and Conner earned All-MAAC honors
• This is Sacred Heart's first season as a full-time member of the MAAC.
• Head Coach Anthony Latina is in his 12th season as head coach and 20th year overall with the Pioneers.

About Fairfield: 

• Fairfield defeated Quinnipiac 83-74 in the regular season finale on Saturday to secure the 10th and final seed in the MAAC Postseason.
• The Stags finished the regular season with a 12-19 record and 8-12 in the MAAC.
• Prophet Johnson leads the Stags with 13.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds.
• Fairfield's offense is eighth in the league 67.8.

Season Series:
GAME 1 VS FAIRFIELD – SHU 77, Fairfield 71 – Feb. 8
For the first time in program history, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team defeated Fairfield University, 77-71, on Saturday, February 8 on the road. At the time, the Pioneers improved their win streak to five with the victory, hitting their best 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. 
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. Sacred Heart finished with the 77-71 final.
 
GAME 2 VS FAIRFIELD – SHU 83, Fairfield 62 – March 2
Graduate forward Bryce Johnson became the Sacred Heart Division I rebound leader as the Pioneers defeated Fairfield, 83-62, completing the season sweep of the Stags on Sunday, March 2, in the Pitt Center. Four players scored in double figures in the Senior Day win. The victory marks the first time the Pioneers have defeated the Stags in the Pitt Center in three meetings at SHU.
Sacred Heart led from the start and never looked back. Leading by as many as 21 in the first half and 30 in the second half. 
Johnson was nearly unstoppable for the Pioneers, going 8-for-12 from the field en route to an 18-point performance, and was one rebound shy of a double-double, with nine. Barrouk had an outstanding day off the bench, shooting 60% (6-10) from the field and going 5-for-8 from three-point range. 
The Pioneers hit 11 triples as a team and shot 49.3% (33-67) from the field. SHU dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Stags 41-28.