EMMITSBURG, Md.--  For the second time this weekend, the game was decided in the final seconds of play. The Sacred Heart University men's basketball fell on the road in a heartbreaker, 73-71, as Mount St. Mary's made a buzzer-beater to seal their victory on Sunday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action. Tanner Thomas scored a season-high 25 points, leading four Pioneers in double figures. 

After scoring just three points in the first half, Griffin Barrouk was instrumental in the Pioneers' second-half comeback, scoring 12 points in the second, all coming from three-point range. Bryce Johnson (15) and Amiri Stewart (10) finished in double figures. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 6-10, (2-3 MAAC)
Mount St. Mary's: 11-5, (4-1 MAAC) 

Leaders:
Tanner Thomas: 25 points, 7 rebounds
Griffin Barrouk: 15 points
Bryce Johnson: 12 points, 8 rebounds
Amiri Stewart: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists

Of Note:
After trailing by 11, right before the halftime break, Amiri Stewart made a pair of free throws, sparking an 18-0 run, including the first 16 points of the second half to come from behind to take a 48-41 lead. 

After a dunk for Mount St. Mary's, their first points of the second half, both teams traded three triples apiece, but Tanner Thomas completed the three-point showdown at 11:17 as SHU took a 57-52 edge. The Mount answered with five straight points to tie the game, 57-57. From there, neither team led by more than three throughout the remainder of the contest. 

A Barrouk triple made it a 69-69 tie with less than two minutes left to play, but Mount made a layup on their next possession to break the tie. With 33 seconds remaining, Thomas made a layup to make it 71-71, but the Mountaineers had the final possession and were able to execute a buzzer-beater to claim the 73-71 victory.  
 
In the first half, after Mount made back-to-back triples to take a six-point lead at 16:40, Bryce Johnson made a jumper that sparked a 9-2 run, capped by a Thomas layup, as the Pioneers came from behind to take their first lead of the game, 14-13 at 13:47. 

The Mount answered immediately with a triple, sparking a 7-0 run to jump ahead 20-14. The Pioneers pulled within four, twice, but the Mount went on to take an 11-point advantage. Stewart's pair of free throws cut the Pios deficit to nine for the 41-32 halftime score. 

Sacred Heart shot 37.1% from three-point range, including seven triples in the second half. Thomas shot 50% (9-for-18) from the field and from behind the arc (5-for-10)

Up Next: 
Sacred Heart is back in action on Thursday, January 16, on the road at Siena at 7:00 pm.