PHOTOS (courtesy of Steve McLaughlin)

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Sacred Heart University Women's Basketball team earned its fourth win in five games, as the Pioneers defeated NEC-foe Central Connecticut 73-46 on the road Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers return to action Monday, Feb. 25 when SHU travels to take on Fairleigh Dickinson on the road on ESPN+. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

The Pioneers had four players score in double-figures, with graduate student Katherine Haines leading the Pioneers with 24 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks for her 11th double-double of the season. Candice Leatherwood added 13 points, while Erin Storck and Allyson Murphy chipped in 11 points apiece in the win.

First Quarter

• Trailing 5-3, the Pioneers went on a 9-0 run to take a 12-5 lead with 7:14 remaining in the first quarter

• After Central Connecticut battled to cut the SHU lead to 15-12 with 4:36 to go in the quarter, the Pioneers closed the quarter on a 11-4 run to push its lead to 26-16 going into the second quarter

Second Quarter

• The Pioneers opened the quarter with a 7-3 run, capped by a Katherine Haines layup to push the SHU lead to 33-19 and forcing a Blue Devils' timeout

• The Pioneers extended the run to 14-3 to increase its lead to 40-19 with three minutes to go in the half

• The Blue Devils closed the half by outscoring the Pioneers 6-4, giving SHU a 44-25 lead at the break

• Kat Haines scored a game-high 17 points in the first half

Third Quarter

• After the Blue Devils cut the SHU lead to 46-29 with 7:11 remaining in the third quarter, the Pioneers responded with a 7-3 run to extend its lead to 53-32 heading into the fourth quarter

• Graduate Kiana Ye made her season-debut in the quarter and grabbed a rebound

Fourth Quarter

• Leading 55-33, Erin Storck was fouled on a made layup and knocked down the freethrow to extend the Pioneers' lead to 25 (58-33), its largest of the game

• The Blue Devils responded with an 11-3 run to trim the deficit to 61-44 with 4:42 remaining in regulation

• It wasn't enough as the Pioneers closed the contest with a 12-2 run to secure the 73-46 victory