Sacred Heart 74, St. Francis Brooklyn 70: Gutty, Gritty Pioneers

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In the sometimes alternate universe that is the NEC, a 10-game losing streak like Sacred Heart endured in November and December is not all that concerning. There were a couple of bad losses in there and the defense was porous at times, but Tevin Falzon was just getting back into form, and, well, it’s not like anyone in the NEC is getting an automatic bid or anything.

But after a decent split of the annual western Pennsylvania trip to open conference play, Sacred Heart was run off its own court by Fairleigh Dickinson and blown out by Wagner. Looking for a response the next week, the Pioneers were extremely fortunate to survive Central Connecticut and then were blown out again at St. Francis Brooklyn.

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UMass Lowell 85, Hartford 83: Size Not Stopping River Hawks

(photo courtesy: UMass Lowell Athletics)

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – If you walked into Chase Family Arena with five minutes left in Wednesday’s game between UMass Lowell and Hartford, you’d be excused for thinking you’d stumbled upon a high school game.

With George Blagojevic and Jack Hobbs already fouled out, Hartford coach John Gallagher called upon sophomore walk-on Mark Plousis. At 6’5”, Plousis probably played plenty of post at Cardinal O’Hara in Philadelphia (the same high school Gallagher attended), but when he was the tallest player on the floor in a Division I basketball player for either team in crunch time, it was more than a little strange.

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Manhattan 65, Rider 57: Jaspers Starting To Look Familiar

BRONX, N.Y. – It may have been far from beautiful, but eye of the beholder and such because all the reasons why the Monmouth, Iona, and Siena coaching staffs will be losing plenty of sleep worrying about Manhattan next month were apparent in the Jaspers’ 65-57 win over previously streaking Rider at Draddy Gym Tuesday night.

Manhattan, in particular senior Shane Richards, hit big shots down the stretch, made things difficult on the defensive end for the Broncs, and gutted out another victory to move to 6-5 in the MAAC (9-11 overall).

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