RIVERDALE, N.Y.— Amiri Stewart scored 20 points, leading three Pioneers in double figures as the Sacred Heart University men's basketball team fell to Manhattan 90-74 on the road on Thursday evening in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action. 

Bryce Johnson scored in double figures (18) for the third straight game, and Tanner Thomas scored 12 for the Pioneers. 

Records:
Sacred Heart: 14-16, (10-9 MAAC)
Manhattan: 16-12, (11-8 MAAC)

Leaders:
Amiri Stewart: 20 points, 5 assists
Bryce Johnson: 18 points, 6 rebounds
Tanner Thomas: 12 points, 8 rebounds  

Of Note:
With the setback, Sacred Heart and Manhattan have a 1-1 split in the regular season series. 

Both teams almost had matching numbers through the opening half. Shooting 50% from the field and making five triples, the Pioneers trailed by just one at the halftime break. Stewart (14) and Johnson (11) hit double figures in the first half.

Manhattan jumped ahead, 8-3 through the first three minutes of play, but a jumper for Nyle Ralph-Beyer cut the Pios deficit to three. However, the Jaspers answered with five straight points to jump ahead 13-5. 

At 13:16, Manhattan extended its lead to 10, but a 7-1 run pulled Sacred Heart within four, 20-16. 

After a Manhattan triple put the home team ahead by eight, a Stewart three-pointer and Johnson layup cut the Pios deficit to three, 28-25. The Jaspers made a free throw, but another Johnson layup and Barrouk triple gave SHU its first lead of the day, 31-30, at 7:18. 

From there, neither team led by more than three throughout the remainder of the half. Manhattan made a layup as time expired to take a 46-45 edge at halftime. 

Manhattan really opened the game to start the second half, leading by as many as 13 through the first six minutes of play. 

A three-point and-one play for Johnson and a jumper for Ralph-Beyer pulled SHU within seven, 62-55. 

The Jaspers answered and extended their lead to 12, but Johnson and Thomas scored four straight to cut the deficit to eight, 69-61, at 7:45. However, any time the Pios pulled within single digits, the Jaspers pushed back ahead with a double figure advantage. 

A Manhattan triple at 3:13 ultimately put the game away as the Jaspers took a 16-point lead. Back-to-back treys for the Pioneers pulled SHU within 10, but Manhattan finished the game with the 90-74 final. 

Up Next: 
Sacred Heart will play its last game of the regular season at Iona on Saturday, March 8, at 4:00 pm.