FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team welcomes Morgan State on Thursday for a 7 p.m. tilt home tilt at the William H. Pitt Center. Before the game, SHU will debut its new banners for winning the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season and tournament championships and for making the NCAA Tournament. 

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OPENING TIP

• The Pioneers welcome the Bears for a Thursday non-conference bout at the Pitt Center at 7 p.m.
• Sacred Heart will meet Morgan State for the third time in the two teams' histories. 
• SHU won both previous meetings, taking last season's contest by a 63-55 final score in Baltimore.
• The Pioneers are coming off of a 59-47 setback to Coppin State on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Pitt. 
• Sacred Heart trailed by just four points heading into the fourth quarter against the Eagles before ultimately falling by 12. 
• Ny'Ceara Pryor led all scorers with a season-high 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the floor. 
• She also poured in eight rebounds, five steals and three assists to lead the Pioneers in all three categories.  
• Carmen Williams and Emma Kirby also had strong performances on the glass, with eight and seven rebounds, respectively. 
• Amelia Wood and Faith Pappas were next on SHU's leading scorers with seven and six points, respectively, the latter being a season-high for the junior.

LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers suffered a 59-47 loss to Coppin State on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Pitt Center. The game was very close through three quarters, with the Eagles leading 40-36 heading into the fourth. Unfortunately for SHU, CSU pulled away in the fourth to secure the 12-point win. Ny'Ceara Pryor led the way for the Pioneers with one of her best performances, finishing with a season-high 23 points, eight rebounds, five steals and three assists. She hit a season-best 10 field goals, going 10-for-15 from the floor. Carmen Williams and Emma Kirby also had strong performances on the glass with eight and seven rebounds, respectively. 

NY'CE PERFORMANCE
Pryor did everything she could to keep the Pioneers in the game against the Eagles. She filled the stat sheet with a season-best 23 points on a season-high 10 made field goals. The Baltimore native reached 20 points for the second time this season and the 33rd time in her illustrious career. Pryor leads the MAAC in steals and is second in the league with 17.0 points per game.

SCOUTING MORGAN STATE

• The Bears have already played 10 games this season, owning a 4-6 overall record on the year. 
• After starting the season 4-3, Morgan State has dropped three in a row, all of which were on the road. 
• The Bears' most recent contest was a 52-47 loss at George Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
• Junior center Jael Butler led the way for MSU with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. 
• Ja'la Bannerman paces the Bears this season with 11.0 points per game. 
• Laila Fair averages a team-best 8.9 rebounds and is second on the team with 10.0 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Pioneers will meet the Bears for the third time ever on Thursday. 
• SHU won both of the previous contests, taking last year's bout by a 63-55 final score in Baltimore.