Friday, February 27
Fairfield, Conn.
7:00 PM
Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
vs
Mount St. Mary's (Md.)
Photo by: Josh Gee
Men’s Basketball Closes Regular Season at Home Friday on Senior Day
2/26/2026 4:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team closes out the regular season on Friday, Feb. 27, hosting Mount St. Mary's at 7 p.m. The Pioneers will honor their seniors prior to tipoff as they conclude the season series with the Mount before turning their attention to next week's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships in Atlantic City.
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | GAME NOTES
OPENING TIP
INSIDE THE RANKINGS
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | GAME NOTES
OPENING TIP
- Sacred Heart and Mount St. Mary's close out the season series Friday evening at the Pitt Center. The matchup marks the 47th all-time meeting between the programs. The Pioneers trail the series 30-16, which dates back to 1986 when both teams competed at the Division II level. After transitioning to Division I, the programs met regularly as members of the NEC. Mount St. Mary's joined the MAAC in 2021-22, while Sacred Heart began MAAC play in 2024-25.
- SHU enters the contest following a 65-63 loss at Marist on Sunday, while the Mountaineers ride a four-game winning streak.
- The Pioneers have clinched a berth in the MAAC Championship for the second straight season.
- Anquan Hill ranks third in the MAAC in scoring at 17.5 points per game. Dashon Gittens sits 12th in the conference at 14.1 ppg, and Nyle Ralph-Beyer ranks 14th at 13.9 ppg. As a team, Sacred Heart is third in the MAAC in scoring offense (75.5 ppg) and leads the league in three-pointers made per game (10.6) and three-point percentage (36.1%).
- Four Pioneers are averaging double figures this season: Hill (17.5 ppg), Gittens (14.1 ppg), Ralph-Beyer (13.9 ppg), and Yann Farell (11.4 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.
- Mount St. Mary's enters the matchup riding a four-game winning streak and is currently tied for sixth place in the MAAC standings.
- Three Mountaineers average double figures in scoring: Arlandus Keyes (11.9 ppg), Luke McEldon (11.4 ppg), and Trey Deveaux (11.1 ppg). Abdou Khadre Kébé leads the team on the glass at 6.0 rebounds per game.
- SHU defeated Mount earlier this season, 87-80, on 12/3 on the road.
- As a team, Mount ranks second in the MAAC in rebounding (36.6 rpg) and leads the conference in defensive rebounds (26.2 per game).
- Sacred Heart fell, 65–63, to Marist on the road on Sunday afternoon. Ralph-Beyer led three Pioneers in double figures.
- Trailing 7–5, Hill converted a layup to spark a 14–2 run that gave the Pioneers a 19–7 lead. Marist answered with a run of its own, rallying to take a 25–20 advantage. Hill completed a three-point play to pull Sacred Heart within two, but the Red Foxes held the edge.
- Down five, Gittens ignited the offense with a three-pointer, followed by a layup and a three-point play on the next possession to give SHU a 29–28 lead. The teams traded baskets from there, with neither side leading by more than three for the remainder of the half. Tied 33–33 with 1:30 remaining, Ralph-Beyer drilled a triple to send the Pioneers into the locker room with a 36–33 advantage.
- Gittens opened the second half with a three-pointer to push SHU ahead 39–33. Marist trimmed the deficit to two, but Gittens converted an and-one to spark an 8–0 run, giving Sacred Heart a 47–37 lead with 15:04 to play.
- After trailing by seven, Marist battled back to tie the game, 49–49, at the 10:02 mark. A Jaden Slaughter jumper ignited a 7–0 spurt that put the Pioneers back in front, 56–49.
- The Red Foxes responded with a 10–0 run to take a 59–56 lead with 3:11 remaining. Ralph-Beyer knocked down two free throws, and Hill followed with a dunk to give Sacred Heart a 60–59 edge with 1:35 to play. Marist answered with a three-pointer to reclaim the lead, but Ralph-Beyer buried his fourth triple of the afternoon to put SHU ahead 63–62 with 30 seconds left. The Red Foxes responded with a three on the ensuing possession to secure the 65–63 victory.
INSIDE THE RANKINGS
- Sacred Heart's offense leads the MAAC at 75.5 points per game. The Pioneers also lead the conference with 317 made three-pointers, averaging 10.6 per game, 21st nationally, and is the league leader in 3PT FG% at .361. SHU's 77.3% free throw percentage is 24th in the country.
- Hill is third in the MAAC in scoring at 17.5 ppg, Gittens is 12th at 14.1 ppg and Ralph-Beyer is 14th in scoring at 13.9 points per game. Gittens owns the eighth-best field-goal percentage in the conference at (.525). Ralph-Beyer (.435), Gittens (.423), and Farell (.396), are fourth, fifth, and ninth, respectively, in the MAAC in three-point percentage. Ralph-Beyer's 3PT FG percentage is 13th in the country.
- Conner is first in the conference with 6.2 assists per game, which is 19th nationally, and he holds the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAAC at 2.6. His 174 assists rank 18th in the country.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballMBB All Access: Brotherly Love
Monday, December 15
MBB All Access: Family Ties 2
Monday, December 15
MBB All Access: Journeys
Wednesday, October 29
All Access: Tip-Off
Wednesday, October 15
