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1st |
2nd |
Final |
| Columbia (2-5) |
25 |
34 |
59 |
| Sacred Heart (1-6) |
41 |
34 |
75 |
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| Keys to the Game |
| Key sequence |
Sacred Heart stormed out of the gates, scoring on its first four possessions, while holding Columbia scoreless on its first possessions, as the Pioneers ran out to a quick double-digit lead. Mack Montgomery’s layup 11 seconds into the game was swatted away by Brice Brooks, and Ben Nwachukwu couldn’t get a jumper to fall with the shot clock running low. At the other end, Luke Granato hit a three-pointer to get the hosts on the board, then Nwachukwu was called for an offensive foul. Brooks tipped in Ryon Howard’s missed layup, and after a John Baumann turnover, Granato struck again from the outside. Granato then came up with a steal and Howard tipped home Chauncey Hardy’s fastbreak layup attempt to give Sacred Heart a 10-0 lead just 2:27 into the contest. Columbia’s deficit would grow to 23-6 to start the game, and though the Lions did rally, they would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
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| Key sign it was over |
Montgomery’s free throws made it 60-54 with 6:50 to play, only to see Granato sink another three-pointer for the Pioneers. Following back-to-back Lion turnovers, Sacred Heart pushed its lead back to double digits with a Hardy layup. Niko Scott converted a pair of free throws to temporarily stem the tide, but Hardy added another layup and two free throws to make it a 13-point game. Columbia endured seven straight fruitless possessions, while four more Pioneer free throws capped off a 13-2 run for the home team that made it 73-56 with under two minutes remaining.
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| Key performance |
Hardy had an excellent all-around game for Sacred Heart, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 39 turnover-free minutes.
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| Key statistic |
A poor first half proved too much for Columbia to overcome, and the biggest difference in the first 20 minutes was the outside shooting. Sacred Heart knocked down 6 of 13 attempts from three-point range (46.2 percent), while the Lions were a frigid 1 of 7 (14.3 percent) from distance.
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| Notes
– Scott was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points, thanks in large part to 8-for-9 shooting at the free throw line. Baumann chipped in with 16 points, and Nwachukwu was the other double-figure scorer for Columbia with 10.
– All five Sacred Heart starters reached double digits in scoring, with Granato leading the way at 16 points.
– Lion reserves combined to score just three points on 1-for-9 shooting, and were outscored 12-3 by their counterparts on the home bench.
– Columbia committed 20 turnovers, with a number of these turning into transition opportunities for Sacred Heart, who held a 12-0 edge in fastbreak scoring.
– The Lions finish off their seven-game road swing on Tuesday, December 4, when they visit Staten Island to take on Wagner at 7:00 pm ET.
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