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The Game
Stonehill enters Thursday's Northeast Conference matchup at Sacred Heart on a nine-game losing streak, falling in the first seven games of league play. This is the first of two meetings this season with Sacred Heart, the NEC's preseason favorite coming into the season. The Pioneers are currently on a two-game losing streak, dropping back-to-back road contests at Saint Francis and FDU. Both games were single digit losses for Sacred Heart who are looking to bounce back after starting league play 4-1. The Skyhawks are looking to pick up their first road win of the season as they close out a three-game road trip. Stonehill currently sports an 0-15 record when traveling away from Merkert Gym. The Pioneers are 7-3 this season on their home court and 3-0 at the Pitt Center in Northeast Conference matchups.

Media Information
Thursday night's game will be broadcasted digitally on NEC Front Row on https://necfrontrow.com/schools/SHU.

Scouting The Pioneers
Sacred Heart University ranks second in the Northeast Conference in team field goal percentage, shooting 44.9% from the floor. The Pioneers are also second in team 3-point FG%, shooting 34.9% from deep. Sacred Heart forces the second most turnovers per game in the NEC at 15.1, leading to the best turnover margin in the conference at a +3.27. The Pioneers have the most blocks in the conference on the defensive end, swatting away 111 shots to average 5.05 per game. Sacred Heart's leading scorer is senior guard Nico Galette who is averaging 14.3 points per game, the sixth-best mark in the conference. He also grabs 6.9 boards per game making him a top-five rebounder in the NEC. Senior Alex Sobel averages 12.0ppg and leads the team with 7.4 rpg, the third best rebounder in the conference.

Against The Pioneers
Stonehill and Sacred Heart are meeting for the first time this season and for the 37th time overall. The all-time series dates back to 1966-67, when both teams were in Division II. The Pioneers hold the series advantage, 22-13, with the Skyhawks winning both matchups last season in Stonehill's first season in the NEC. The Skyhawks took down the Pioneers, 74-67, in the meeting between the two teams in Fairfield, Conn. last season. Stonehill also defended home court against Sacred Heart, winning a close one, 82-81, at Merkert Gym to sweep the regular season series.

Last Time Out
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (January 25, 2024) – Stonehill men's basketball lost 63-60 as Tai Strickland banked in a buzzer-beater three to give Long Island University a Northeast Conference win at the Steinberg Wellness Center Thursday night. Graduate student Max Zegarowski (South Hamilton, Mass.) and freshman Todd Brogna (Southborough, Mass) led Stonehill with 12 points apiece as both knocked down two three-pointers. Zegarowski also led the team with seven boards in 35 minutes of action while Brogna led the Skyhawks with a career-high five assists. LIU's Tana Kopa was the game's leading scorer, putting up 20 points on 7-18 shooting and a 4-11 night from long range. After the Sharks blocked a layup attempt from the Skyhawks with the score tied 60-60, LIU's Tai Strickland dribbled the ball up the court with less than ten seconds to play and banked a heavily contested three-pointer off the glass to give LIU the win.
 
Rotating cast
The Skyhawks have used 12 different starting lineups through 22 games this season as nine different players have started for Stonehill and no Skyhawks has started all 22 games. The Skyhawks have used a different starting unit in six of the last eight games. Stonehill's 12 different starting lineups is tied for the fourth-most unique combinations in all of Division I. Eastern Michigan (15) is at the top of list while Furman (14), Detroit Mercy (14), Jacksonville (13), Kansas City (13), and Milwaukee (13) are the only schools with more combinations than the Skyhawks.

Getting Social
Fans and media members of Stonehill Athletics have multiple social media outlets to get updates on all 23 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @GoStonehill on Twitter and @stonehillskyhawks via Instagram! You can also search for Stonehill men's basketball on Facebook, follow the team's Twitter account via @StonehillMBB as well as head coach Chris Kraus @CoachChrisKraus, and its new Instagram feed @StonehillMBB. 

Up Next
Stonehill returns home for the conclusion of the regular season series with Wagner in a Northeast Conference matchup on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m at Merkert Gymnasium.