Fairfield, Conn. - Sacred Heart shot a season-high 61.9 percent (26-for-42) from the field and five Pioneers scored in double figures en route to an 84-75 victory over the Robert Morris University men's basketball team Saturday night at the William H. Pitt Center.
The Colonials dropped their second straight to fell to 9-12 overall and 5-5 in the Northeast Conference, while SHU improved to 9-12 overall and 4-6 in league play.
Sacred Heart jumped out to a 15-8 advantage in the first seven minutes of action, but RMU used a 16-4 run to take a 24-19 edge at the 7:16 mark of the first half.
Senior guard Gary Wallace (Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) knocked down a pair of three-pointers during the surge, while forwards Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner) and Lawrence Bridges (Detroit, Mich. / Columbus State Community College) each supplied four points.
The Pioneers weathered the run by scoring 13 of the game's next 15 points to open up a 32-26 lead. Shane Gibson scored four points, while Nick Greenbacker capped the spurt with a three-pointer.
Sacred Heart eventually entered the break with a four-point advantage, 33-29.
SHU kept up its hot shooting in the second half, stretching its lead to 39-31 after a jumper from Chris Evans and getting its lead to double digits for the first time, 48-38, thanks to back-to-back three-pointers from Greenbacker and Gibson.
Layups from Gibson and Evans following the pair of three-pointer's helped the Pioneers cap a 13-4 spurt and give Sacred Heart a 52-38 lead.
Greenbacker's third trifecta of the contest helped SHU open up a 57-46 edge with 9:20 to play, but RMU used a 10-3 run to close within four, 60-56, with 6:28 to go.
Redshirt sophomore forward Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester) scored three points, while redshirt sophomore guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) capped the surge with a three-pointer.
Over the next two and-a-half minutes the Pioneers scored seven unanswered points to push their advantage back to double digits, 67-56, scoring five of those points at the free-throw line while getting a dunk from Stan Dulaire.
Sacred Heart sealed the win at the charity stripe, converting 15 of its 16 attempts in the final 1:40.
Jones scored 17 of his career-high 22 points in the second half to take home game-high honors, converting seven of his 15 shots from the floor, including 3-for-6 from long range, and going 5-for-6 at the free-throw line. He also added a season-high nine assists.
Sophomore forward Karon Abraham (Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy) chipped in with 19 points, while Bridges and Wallace each reached double figures off the bench.
Bridges scored a career-high 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor while grabbing four rebounds, while Wallace scored 11 points.
Gibson led Sacred Heart with 19 points and was joined in double figures by Greenbacker (17), Evans (14), Evan Kelley (13) and Dulaire (10). Jerrell Thompson added seven points and recorded 15 of SHU's 21 assists.
Robert Morris returns to the Charles L. Sewall Center looking to snap its two-game slide, beginning Thursday, Feb. 3, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Bryant.
