Friday, February 20
Fairfield, CT
7:00 PM
Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
at
Fairfield University
Photo by: Greg Vasil
Sacred Heart Heads Across Town to Face Fairfield Friday
2/19/2026 4:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Riding back-to-back Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) victories, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team makes the short trip across town on Friday, Feb. 20, to face Fairfield at 7 p.m., closing out the regular-season series between the two rivals.
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | GAME NOTES
OPENING TIP
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | GAME NOTES
OPENING TIP
- Sacred Heart and Fairfield wrap up the season series Friday afternoon at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The matchup marks the 14th meeting between the programs, with the Stags holding a 10-3 advantage. Fairfield claimed the first meeting this season, earning a 92-87 win on Feb. 5 at SHU.
- The Pioneers enter the contest riding momentum after a pair of MAAC victories last weekend, defeating Saint Peter's, 78-71, on Friday before topping Rider, 86-75, on Sunday. Anquan Hill posted back-to-back 20-point performances, while Yann Farell eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone for his career. Five Pioneers averaged double figures across the two games.
- Hill leads the MAAC in scoring at 18.0 points per game. Dashon Gittens ranks 12th in the conference at 14.0 ppg, while Nyle Ralph-Beyer sits 15th at 13.7 ppg. As a team, Sacred Heart leads the MAAC in scoring offense (76.3 ppg) and leads the league in three-pointers made per game (10.8) and three-point percentage (36.5%).
- Four Pioneers are averaging double figures this season: Hill (18.0 ppg), Gittens (14.0 ppg), Ralph-Beyer (13.7 ppg), and Farell (11.7 ppg).
- Sacred Heart was selected 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
- The Pioneers return nine players from last season's roster and added transfers Gittens and Farell, along with four first-year players. Now in its second season in the MAAC, Sacred Heart is coming off a strong league debut that included a seventh-place finish, and a conference tournament win over Fairfield to reach the quarterfinals.
- Sacred Heart features three student-athletes from Africa: Fallou Gueye, Yann Farell, and Abdou Yadd.
- The program is celebrating its 60th season of men's basketball.
- Head coach Anthony Latina is in his 13th season at the helm.
- Fairfield currently sits in sixth place at 8-8 and is still looking to clinch a spot in the MAAC Tournament.
- Three Stags are averaging double figures in scoring: Braden Sparks (17.4 ppg), Brandon Benjamin (14.3 ppg), and Declan Wucherpfennig (12.5 ppg).
- Benjamin leads the team in rebounding at 10.5 per game, a mark that ranks ninth nationally.
- Fairfield ranks second in the MAAC in scoring offense, averaging 75.6 points per game.
- Farell scored his 1,000th career point, and six Pioneers finished in double figures as Sacred Heart defeated Rider, 86–75, on Sunday afternoon in MAAC action at the Pitt Center. The win secured the season sweep of the Broncs for SHU.
- After several back-and-forth possessions to open the game, a Ralph-Beyer pull-up jumper and a Yadd three-pointer helped SHU take a 16–11 lead. Rider trimmed the deficit to three, but a Ralph-Beyer triple sparked a 16–2 Pioneer run, extending the advantage to 32–15 with 8:08 remaining in the first half.
- Gittens converted a layup and completed an and-one to push the lead to 40–19 at the 4:31 mark. Rider cut the deficit to 16 in the final minute of the half, but Hill drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send Sacred Heart into the break ahead, 49–30.
- The Pioneers maintained a double-digit lead for much of the second half before Rider made a late push. Back-to-back three-pointers and a layup pulled the Broncs within five, 72–67, with 4:54 to play. Hill answered with a layup, though Rider kept the margin at five on the ensuing possession.
- Following a media timeout, Hill drew contact that was upgraded to a flagrant foul. He knocked down both free throws and, on the ensuing possession, grabbed an offensive rebound and finished through contact for an and-one. The three-point play pushed SHU back in front by double digits, 79–69, with 2:14 remaining.
- At the 1:15 mark, Hill converted another three-point play to extend the lead to 84–70. Rider pulled within 11 twice in the final 30 seconds, but Sacred Heart closed it out for the 86–75 victory.
- SHU shot 44.3 percent (27-for-61) from the field, connected on 12 three-pointers, and outrebounded Rider, 38–35.
- Sacred Heart's offense leads the MAAC at 76.3 points per game. The Pioneers also lead the conference with 301 made three-pointers, averaging 10.8 per game, 19th nationally, and are the league leader in 3PT FG% at .365. SHU's 77.7% free throw percentage is 15th in the country.
- Hill is first in the MAAC in scoring at 18.0 ppg, Gittens is 12th at 14.0 ppg, and Ralph-Beyer is 15th in scoring at 13.7 points per game. Gittens owns the eighth-best field-goal percentage in the conference at (.529). Ralph-Beyer (.424), Gittens (.423), and Farell (.408), are fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, in the MAAC in three-point percentage. Ralph-Beyer's 3PT FG percentage is 26th in the country.
- Conner is first in the conference with 6.3 assists per game, which is 18th nationally, and he holds the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAAC at 2.7. His 165 assists rank 20th in the country.
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