FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — Quinnipiac overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Sacred Heart 70-60 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at William Pitt Center. Trailing 32-26 at the break, the Bobcats outscored the Pioneers 44-28 in the second half. Asim Jones led Quinnipiac with 15 points and 12 assists. Amarri Monroe added 11 points and 15 rebounds. Anquan Hill scored a game-high 21 points for Sacred Heart before an announced crowd of 828. Quinnipiac improved to 12-5. Sacred Heart fell to 5-13.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half defensive performance and a career-high scoring afternoon from Jaden Zimmerman propelled the Quinnipiac Bobcats to a 70-60 victory over the Sacred Heart Pioneers in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at the William Pitt Center. The Bobcats, who trailed by six at halftime, outscored the Pioneers 44-28 after the break, holding Sacred Heart to just 10 field goals in the final 20 minutes. The win improved Quinnipiac to 12-5 overall, while Sacred Heart fell to 5-13. The game’s most critical sequence came early in the second half, with Quinnipiac trailing 38-34. Over the next five minutes, the Bobcats unleashed a decisive 15-2 run, fueled by stifling defense that forced four Sacred Heart turnovers. Zimmerman, a 6-foot-5 guard from the Bronx, N.Y., was the offensive catalyst, scoring eight points during the surge, including two three-pointers. His second three-pointer of the run, assisted by Samuel Nosakhare, capped the stretch and gave Quinnipiac a 49-40 lead with 14:06 remaining, a margin the Pioneers would never seriously threaten. Zimmerman finished with a game-high 20 points, all in the second half, on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. His backcourt partner, Asim Jones of Paterson, N.J., orchestrated the offense with a double-double, scoring 15 points and dishing out 12 assists against only one turnover. The Bobcats’ defensive pressure was the game’s defining characteristic. They forced 14 Sacred Heart turnovers, converting them into 12 points, while committing only six turnovers themselves. Quinnipiac also recorded 10 steals, led by Amarri Monroe’s three. The Pioneers managed just four assists for the entire game, a testament to Quinnipiac’s disruptive defense. Sacred Heart was led by Anquan Hill of Philadelphia, Pa., who scored 21 points and blocked two shots. Nyle Ralph-Beyer of West Chester, Pa., added 17 points and seven rebounds, with 15 of his points coming in the first half. The Pioneers started strong, connecting on 10 three-pointers for the game, but cooled considerably after halftime, shooting just 33 percent from the floor in the second period. Quinnipiac’s interior presence was anchored by Monroe, a 6-foot-7 forward from Newburgh, N.Y., who posted a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Keith McKnight of Teaneck, N.J., contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. The first half belonged to Sacred Heart, which used a 14-3 run late in the period to build its largest lead at 32-23. Ralph-Beyer hit three three-pointers in the final 3:45 of the half, sending the Pioneers into the locker room with a 32-26 advantage. Quinnipiac struggled offensively, shooting 32 percent before the break. The second-half turnaround was immediate and comprehensive. Quinnipiac opened the half with an 8-2 spurt to tie the game, and after Sacred Heart briefly regained a four-point lead, the Bobcats launched the game-deciding 15-2 run. From there, Quinnipiac’s lead never dipped below five points, as they methodically controlled the tempo and capitalized on Sacred Heart’s mistakes. Quinnipiac finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range. Sacred Heart shot 38 percent overall. The Bobcats won despite being out-rebounded on the offensive glass, 12-10, and shooting an identical 9-of-14 from the free-throw line as the Pioneers. The announced attendance was 828. Quinnipiac next hosts Saint Peter’s on Wednesday. Sacred Heart travels to face Siena on Wednesday.

Preview of Sunday’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Game FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — A surging Quinnipiac team visits a struggling Sacred Heart squad in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball matchup Sunday at the William Pitt Center. The Quinnipiac Bobcats (11-5) enter on a strong run, having won five of their last six games. Their most recent outing was an 80-69 home victory over Mount Saint Mary’s on Jan. 4, powered by a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds from forward Amarri Monroe and a game-high 25 points from Grant Randall. Monroe has been a consistent force for the Bobcats, averaging a double-double over his last three games. He posted 22 points and 10 rebounds in a win over UMass-Lowell on Dec. 13 and followed with 11 points and 10 rebounds at Hofstra on Dec. 21. The Sacred Heart Pioneers (5-12) look to halt a four-game skid. They fell 76-72 to Marist at home on Friday despite 22 points from guard Yann Farell. Farell has been a bright spot during the losing streak, scoring 22 points in consecutive games against Marist and Canisius. Sacred Heart’s defense will be tested by a balanced Quinnipiac offense that has scored 80 or more points in three of its last five contests. The Pioneers have allowed an average of 78.5 points during their four-game losing streak. This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the in-state conference foes this season. They will meet again at Quinnipiac on Jan. 30. Quinnipiac holds a decisive edge in the recent series, winning the last four matchups. Sacred Heart’s last victory over the Bobcats came in February 2022. Sunday’s game tips off at 2 p.m. EST. Quinnipiac visits Saint Peter’s next on Wednesday, while Sacred Heart travels to face Siena the same day.