UAlbany Men's Basketball Pulls Out Victory Against Sacred Heart

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Fairfield, Conn. – Mike Johnson made a free throw with 9.5 seconds remaining as UAlbany rallied in the stretch for a 60-59 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday, Dec. 20 at William H. Pitt Center. The non-league game was delayed one day due to a snowstorm in the Northeast Region.

Sacred Heart (3-5) built a 52-43 lead with 6:45 left when Ryon Howard connected on a slam dunk in transition. UAlbany (7-4) still trailed 57-51, but then closed the gap when Anthony Raffa nailed a three-point field goal from the left wing. Raffa finished with 15 points and a career-best eight rebounds.

The Pioneers, who were picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference preseason poll, still led 59-54 with 1:35 to play after freshman Shane Gibson made a pair of foul shots. Gibson led his team with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Brian Connelly, who had 10 points and six rebounds, cut into the lead with two foul shots moments later, before Billy Allen drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key to draw the Great Danes even.

After SHU’s Chauncey Hardy missed a runner from right of the lane, Allen found Johnson underneath the basket. Johnson was fouled in the lane and made the first of two free throws. The Pioneers tried to push the ball up the floor, but Raffa stripped Ryan Litke in the open floor. Connelly came up with the loose ball and UAlbany had its third road win of the season.

“It was a bad effort, but our five subs played hard and fought throughout,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team shot 35.5 percent and committed 19 turnovers. “Billy Allen made some big shots for us and we won a game we wouldn’t have a year ago. We have been playing 10-11 guys consistent minutes and that paid off us.”

In a sluggish first half, Sacred Heart reversed a 16-15 deficit with six straight points. Freshman guard Shane Gibson had two baskets, including a layup after his steal in the defensive end. The Pioneers still led 25-20 after Howard scored in the lane. But UAlbany closed the gap when Mike Johnson made a baseline jumper and hit a drive after his steal.

UAlbany made just 31.6 percent from the field, including several misses on short-range shots and follow-up attempts. However, the Pioneers, who led 27-26 at the break, countered the visitors poor shooting by making 15 of their 23 turnovers in the period.

Joey Henley, a 6-foot-5 senior who was granted a sixth year by the NCAA due to injuries, had 10 of his 12 points in the second half. Henley had a basket and Litke buried a 3-pointer from right of the key when their team ripped off a 9-2 run that gave the Pioneers their biggest lead.

“We hung in there the whole game,” offered Allen, who had eight points off the bench. “We pressed and it helped us. The play that tied the game was run for me and Brian Connelly set a great screen. I knew I had to make it and get the game tied.”

Mike Johnson, a junior college transfer, finished with nine points, four assists and two steals. Tim Ambrose and Will Harris, two of the team’s top three scorers, were held to a combined three points.