FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team clinched the outright Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship on Thursday morning with a convincing 76-47 victory over Saint Francis at the Pitt Center. 

The Pioneers, who have won 12 straight games, end the 2023-24 regular season with a 15-1 league record to claim today's honor, one-game clear of second place. SHU's regular-season title is the team's first since the 2015-16 campaign and the fifth all time. 

Pryor led the way for the Pioneers with a game-high 15 points, to go along with six rebounds, two assists and three steals. Nalyce Dudley also had herself a game with 14 points and eight boards. Three more Pioneers also finished with 10+ points, led by Amelia Wood with 13.  

Records:
Sacred Heart: 21-9, 15-1 NEC
Saint Francis: 5-24, 4-12 NEC

Top Performers:
Ny'Ceara Pryor: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Nalyce Dudley: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist
Amelia Wood: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

How It Happened:
Following a back-and-forth start to today's game, the SHU defense settled in with an outstanding first quarter. The Pioneers held the Red Flash to one point over the final 7:39 of the opening frame. Sacred Heart, on the other hand, tallied 14 points in the quarter to take a 14-5 lead into the second. 

SFU's offense started to catch its bearings in the second, trimming the Pios' lead to three, 20-17, by the 5:04 mark. Sacred Heart was ready with an answer, ending the quarter on a 14-3 run to build a 34-20 advantage going into halftime. 

Olivia Tucker led the charge with five points, which included a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the half. Wood finished next with four points in the run, while Pryor had three.

The Pioneers continued to pull away in the third, starting the quarter on a 14-5 run to go up by as much as 23, 48-25. It was Sajada Bonner's chance to get hot, as her corner 3-pointer early in the run helped spark the Pioneers. Another Bonner triple near the buzzer sent SHU into the third leading by 21, 57-36. 

Sacred Heart's lead was never threatened in the fourth, as the team pulled its starters by the 4:10 mark. SHU's last basket came from first year Montana Nicks, whose layup settled the final score at 76-47. The Pioneers' final points are the first in Nicks' collegiate career. 

Up Next:
Top-seeded Sacred Heart will be back at the Pitt Center for a NEC Tournament Quarterfinal game on Monday, March 11, against the No. 8 seed. The opponent and start time have yet to be determined. More information can be found at sacredheartpioneers.com.