TEANECK, N.J.—The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team battled back from a 21-point deficit in the second half but fell short, 93-91, on the road at FDU in Northeast Conference action on Saturday afternoon. Kyle McGee scored a SHU career-high 23 points, and Nico Galette and Alex Sobel both tallied double-doubles for the Pioneers. 

Records:
SHU: 10-12, 4-3 NEC
FDU: 10-12, 4-3 NEC

Leaders:
Kyle McGee: 23 points
Nico Galette: 18 points, 17 rebounds
Alex Sobel: 12 points, 11 rebounds
Aidan Carpenter: 16 points
Joey Reilly: 11 points

Of Note:
Down 21 points at 10:21 in the second half, the Pioneers began their battle back into the game. Galette put away eight straight points, and McGee capped an 11-0 run with a triple to cut the SHU deficit to 10 at 71-61 with 8:12 on the clock.  

FDU went up by 12 with 5:47 left in the game, but it would be the last time the Knights held a double-digit lead.

McGee hit a trey, sparking a 10-0 run for SHU, capped by a Raheem Solomon triple to make it a two-point game, 81-79 at 3:40 in the second half.

FDU answered and pulled ahead by seven, but the final minute and a half was full of free throws. SHU pulled with one with 16 seconds on the clock and again off a Solomon three-pointer with one second to go. FDU made one of two free throws, but the Pioneers could not get a shot off as time expired, and the comeback fell short.

It was a tale of two halves as the Pioneers outscored FDU 59-47 in the second half, after trailing 46-32 at halftime. SHU was hot from behind the arc, shooting 61.54 % (8-for-13) in the second half. The Pioneers outrebounded the Knights 43-35.

Five players scored in double figures for the second straight game. McGee scored 23 points for a SHU career-high and his first 20+ point performance this season. Galette recorded his fourth double-double of the season and second this week. Sobel's double-double is his fourth of the season.

Sacred Heart found themselves in a hole midway through the opening half. An Aidan Carpenter layup pulled SHU within one, 11-10, at 15:10, but a quick five points from FDU put the home team ahead 16-11.

McGee knocked down a three to bring the Pioneers within two, 19-17, at 11:42. A 10-4 run put FDU ahead 37-26 with 2:27 left in the first half. Joey Reilly made a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to nine at 2:02, but FDU held a double-digit lead through the remainder of the first half, taking a 46-32 advantage at the break.

McGee shot 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for-7 from three-point range. 

Up Next:
Sacred Heart will return home on Thursday, February 1, to take on Stonehill in the William H. Pitt Center at 7:00 pm.