ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – After rallying from behind to force an overtime in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Quarterfinal, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team fell 66-62 to second-seeded, Merrimack on Wednesday evening at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
Anquan Hill tallied his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 21 rebounds, as three Pioneers scored in double figures:
Amiri Stewart (19) and
Nyle Ralph-Beyer (15).
Hill's 21 rebounds are a career-high and most rebounds in a game since E. J. Anosike had 22 at LIU on February 5, 2020.
Mekhi Conner dished out eight assists as he finished the year with 217, the second most assists in a season in SHU's Division I history, behind Phil Gaetano's 222 from the 2012-13 season.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 15-18, (10-10 MAAC)
Merrimack: 18-14, (14-6 MAAC)
Leaders:
Amiri Stewart: 19 points, 6 rebounds
Anquan Hill:14 points, 21 rebounds
Nyle Ralph-Beyer: 15 points, 3 rebounds
Of Note:
After trailing by nine with 4:10 left in regulation, Sacred Heart went on an 11-2 run to come from behind and tie the game to force overtime, highlighted by a pair of Stewart free throws with two seconds left to secure the tie.
Sacred Heart scored three straight free throws to open the extra period to take a 62-59 advantage. Merrimack hit a triple to tie it, 62-62, sparking a 7-0 run to close the game and take the 66-62 final.
Hill secured his fourth double-double of the season in the first half with 10 points and 14 boards. Ralph-Beyer also tallied double figures in the opening half with 10 points, as he went 4-for-8 from the field.
After trailing by six at 14:44, a three-pointer for Stewart sparked a 9-0 run, highlighted by five straight points from Hill, that put the Pioneers ahead 14-11. However, an 11-0 run for the Warriors gave them a 22-14 edge. Ralph-Beyer answered with seven straight points to pull SHU within seven, 28-21.
The Pioneers scored six straight to pull within three with 3:07 left in the half. Merrimack answered with four straight, but a Hill three-pointer cut the Pios deficit to four, heading into halftime, 32-28.
Sacred Heart opened the second half with a 7-0 run to come from behind for a 35-32 lead. Merrimack answered with a 12-2 run that put the Warriors ahead by 10, 47-37 at 11:45.
Merrimack took an 11-point lead at 10:27, but three straight free throws for Conner pulled the Pioneers within eight. The Warriors pushed back ahead by 10, but SHU scored three straight free throws to cut their deficit to six, 54-48. Merrimack answered with a triple to take a 57-48 lead, but Sacred Heart finished with the 11-2 run to force overtime.
The Pioneers' first year in the MAAC comes to an end in the quarterfinals as they claimed the seventh seed in the tournament after going 10-10 in conference play.
