ALBANY, NY – Sacred Heart connected for 15 threes to defeat Siena Basketball 86-80 at MVP Arena.
 
Sacred Heart (6-13, 2-6), which entered play leading the MAAC in made threes (10.3), shot 43% (15-35) from distance to snap a six-game losing streak. Conversely, Siena (11-7, 4-3) connected at just a 24% clip (7-29) from deep.
 
All five Pioneers starters scored in double figures as the Saints surrendered a season-high in points. Siena entered play ranked 14^th nationally in scoring defense (64.2).
 
Sacred Heart led for all but 61 seconds, but the game was played at a single-digit difference virtually throughout. The Pioneers went on an 11-2 run to open a brief double-digit lead at 20-10 at the 14:02 mark. But the Saints responded with an 11-2 spurt of their own in what was a tight first half thereafter. Sacred Heart led 42-38 at the break.
 
While the second half remained a single-digit margin throughout, Siena could never get any closer than a point at 73-72 on a Christian Jones three with 2:50 remaining. But the Saints shot just 2-17 overall from distance in the second half and the Pioneers, which entered play 17^th nationally in free throw percentage (.778), finished a perfect 13-13 from the charity stripe including six in the final minute to hold on.
 
Anquan Hill led the way with 22 points for Sacred Heart, while Nyle Ralph-Beyer added 21 points while shooting 5-9 from three.
 
Mekhi Conner, a 26% shooter from three, went 5-8 from distance for 15 points while adding five assists for the Pioneers which dished out 22 total.
 
Gavin Doty posted his fourth double-double with 20 points and a career-high tying 12 rebounds for Siena which out-scored Sacred Heart 48-26 in the paint.
 
Justice Shoats added 14 points and a career-high 11 assists (only one turnover) for the Saints which lost despite dishing out 21 assists to just three turnovers. The assist total was the highest in six years for Siena, since recording 23 in a 77-55 win vs. Niagara on Mar. 4, 2020.
 
Reigning MAAC Co-Rookie of the Week Francis Folefac contributed 18 points on 8-10 shooting for the Saints.
 
Siena continues its six-game, 14-day stretch when they travel to Manhattan for a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. in Riverdale.