Jan. 22, 2009

Final Stats

HAMDEN, CT - Senior Joey Henley (Kent, WA) led all scorers with 25 points, helping the Pioneers erase a 12-point first half deficit and come back to beat the Quinnipiac Bobcats 70-66 in a Northeast Conference game Thursday night. The Pioneers had to survive shooting just 12 of 26 from the free throw line to secure the victory.

The Pioneers missed three layups in the first three minutes of the game, allowing Quinnipiac to open up an early 11-5 lead. Junior Ryan Litke (Windsor, CT) tried to keep the Pioneers in it by canning a couple of early threes but by the midway mark of the half QU led 25-16.

A three by Bryan Geffen with 5:49 left in the half gave the Bobcats their biggest lead at 32-20. SHU made a run and consecutive baskets by Henley and junior Chauncey Hardy (Middletown, CT) had the Pioneers back within two with 1:12 left in the half. QU got a bucket in the lane from Eric Coggins as the buzzer sounded to take a 39-34 lead into the intermission.

Sacred Heart, now 7-11 overall and 4-4 in the NEC, took its first lead of the game with 14:53 left on a layup by Henley. By the 9:21 mark the Pioneers had extended the lead to six at 58-52 before the Bobcats scored the next six to tie it with 7:08 left. Justin Rutty, who finished with 22 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, had the basket that tied it.

Senior Ryon Howard (Bronx, NY), who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, gave the Pioneers the lead for good with back-to-back baskets with 2:09 to go, pushing the SHU lead to 66-62. Rutty cut the lead back to two, but Henley answered with :54 left to make it 68-64. Rutty was fouled on the next possession but missed both tried and Hardy got the rebound to ice it.

Litke finished the game with 14 points for the Pioneers, converting four of five from beyond the arc.