TEANECK, N.J. - In a wide-open, uptempo game Friday, Sacred Heart defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, 92-85. The contest at the Rothman Center saw FDU drop to 12-9 (5-1 NEC) while Sacred Heart improved to 11-10 (4-2 NEC).
Points of Emphasis
Quick timeout: Sacred Heart enjoys getting out in transition and pushing the ball. The game was just over two minutes in, with FDU trailing 8-6, when FDU coach Tobin Anderson decided to call time to remind his team to get back on defense. Sacred Heart was getting the numbers and open looks in the early possessions.
First four after intermission: Coaches preach the value and importance of winning the first four minutes of both the game and second half. Sacred Heart won those first four following halftime in a big way. The Pioneers went on a 16-4 run, turning a 37-30 deficit into a 46-41 lead. It was a lead they would not lose again.
“I was worried,” Anderson admitted. “We led by seven at the half, but I didn’t think we played that well. We were fortunate to have that lead and I was concerned they would come out strong the second half.” The FDU coach’s fears became a reality.
Defense: Anderson said his team battled throughout the night, but defense was an issue.
“We had a lot of defensive breakdowns,” the coach admitted. “We played good defense the last game (a 66-57 victory at Stonehill). We didn’t play well defensively tonight. We gave up over 90 points and you can’t expect to win. But give Sacred Heart credit, they're an experienced and mature team.”
The NEC: In his first year on the sidelines at FDU, Anderson is impressed with the Northeast Conference.
“The league is competitive and has incredible balance,” Anderson said. “LIU is having a rough go but they are a talented team. The balance is such that so many of these games come out to one or two possessions and are often decided in the last four minutes.”
The loss to Sacred Heart was FDU’s first in NEC play this season. It also snapped a six-game win streak.
“It’s human nature when things are going well to take your foot off the pedal a bit,” Anderson said. “We didn’t practice well this week. If you’re going to be humbled, better in midseason than later in the year.”
Scoring balance: Demetre Roberts led FDU with 27 points. Grant Singleton added 26. The pair combined to knock down nine of FDU’s 11 shots beyond the arc.
“They played great,” Anderson said of Roberts and Singleton. “We can’t have two guys combining for 53 of our 85 points. We need more balance.”
Senior moments: Sacred Heart Anthony Latina put the ball in the hands of his guard, Joey Reilly. Once Sacred Heart grabbed the second half lead, FDU challenged coming within one possession on a number of occasions. The Knights never drew even after forfeiting that lead. Reilly made sound decisions while hitting a succession of key shots from the field and line. The senior finished with a game-high 29 points, including four from beyond the arc and seven of ten from the line and was instrumental in Sacred Heart holding off the Knights several times in the final minutes.
Numbers: The game had 75 possessions, a notable uptempo affair suited to Sacred Heart’s preference (they share the NEC tempo lead with LIU at 71 possessions per outing). The Pioneers held a 123-113 edge in offensive efficiency, and it was little wonder that former FDU coach Tom Green, now an analyst for the Knights, said, “this was definitely an entertaining game for the fans.”
Sacred Heart shot 57 percent from the field versus 43 for FDU, and also enjoyed a 38-34 rebounding advantage. Bryce Johnson of Sacred Heart had a game-high 11 boards. Sebastien Lamaute and Joe Munden shared rebounding highs for the Knights with seven apiece. Sacred Heart committed 15 turnovers, FDU 11.
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