MBB Can't Keep Up with Sacred Heart in Second Half

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Mitchell College men's basketball team lost an 84-60 decision at Sacred Heart University on Wednesday afternoon at the Pitt Center. 

The game marked the fourth straight year that Mitchell has squared off against a Division I opponent. Hasani Williams led three Mariners in double figures with 16 points while Domenico Santiago and Steffen Brunson added 10 apiece. Mario Matasovic led all scorers with 19 points and added 10 rebounds to pace the Pioneers, who improved to 2-3 on the season.

Sacred Heart opened the game on a 7-2 run, capped off by a Matasovic layup and Kinnon LaRose three. The Mariners stayed close thanks to the strong play of Williams, who netted 10 points in the first nine minutes of the contest.

Mitchell pulled within three, 20-17, with 11:45 to play after a Colizel Lewis three-pointer. A Zach Radz three-pointer sparked an 11-4 SHU run that put the Pioneers up by 10 (31-21) at the 9:12 mark. Radz had five points in the run as E.J. Anosike added a pair of layups. The Mariners made back-to-back threes to get within four, but a pair of LaRose foul shots started a quick 6-0 run that put SHU up by 10 once again, 37-27, with 6:03 to go.

SHU took a 43-36 lead into halftime. The Pioneers opened the second half on an 18-6 run, taking a 61-42 lead with 11:00 to play. Seven different SHU players scored in the first nine minutes of the half, as the Pioneer defense held Mitchell to 2-for-12 shooting from the field and forced four turnovers. SHU led by as much as 27 in the second half.

Mitchell shot 64 percent in the first half but struggled in the second, going 0-for-5 from long range while shooting 27 percent. The Pioneers shot 45 percent from the field and enjoyed a 49-33 advantage on the glass. Anosike led all players with 16 rebounds, one shy of tying his career-high of 17 set on Sunday against Maine. Matasovic added 10 rebounds.

Mitchell (1-2 overall) will next host SUNY Maritime College on Sunday, November 26 at 3 p.m.