FAIRFIELD, Conn.— In a game that came down to the final seconds, the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team dropped a close one, 66-65, to Merrimack in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action on Friday morning. Anquan Hill scored a team-high 17 points, leading three Pioneers in double figures. 

Hill scored in double figures for his third straight game, while Tanner Thomas tallied 15, his second consecutive game in double digits. Bryce Johnson was the third Pioneer to score in double figures with 10 points. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 6-9, (2-2 MAAC)
Merrimack: 7-8, (4-0 MAAC) 

Leaders:
Anquan Hill: 17 points, 8 rebounds
Tanner Thomas: 15 points, 9 rebounds
Bryce Johnson: 10 points, 8 rebounds

Of Note:
After trailing by as many as 11 points in the second half, Sacred Heart had a strong surge that came down to the final seconds of play. Merrimack made a pair of free throws to take a nine-point lead, 65-57, with 3:21 left in the game, but Tanner Thomas sparked an 8-0 run, including a three-pointer that made it a four-point game with 1:19 left. Amiri Stewart made a layup with 30 seconds left to pull within two, and a Mekhi Conner steal gave the Pios possession with 24 seconds left to play. 

Conner was fouled while shooting and made one of two free throws to pull within one, 66-65. A missed free throw for Merrimack gave SHU one final chance to take the game, but they could not connect on an inbound play as time expired. 

Merrimack opened the game on a 9-0 run before a Stewart triple got SHU on the board. The Pioneers pulled within four over the next three minutes, but the Warriors answered and extended their lead each time. 

Nyle Ralph-Beyer made a triple at 9:07, and Bryce Johnson made a layup on the next SHU possession to cut the deficit to two. Merrimack took advantage of an and-one play to extend its lead to five before Anquan Hill scored four straight points to cut the Pios deficit to one, 26-25, at 6:16. 

After a Johnson layup to pull within two at 3:16, the Warriors went on a 10-1 run to close out the first half with a 39-28 lead. 

Sacred Heart opened the second half with a 6-0 run to chip away at the deficit to pull within five, 39-34. From there, Merrimack led by as many as 11 points in the second frame until the Pios' final surge in the last three minutes of play. The Warriors were able to hold on and take the 66-65 victory. 

Up Next: 
Sacred Heart will return to action on the road on Sunday, January 12, as they take on Mount St. Mary's at 2:00 pm.