FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior Ramiir Dixon-Conover scored 18 points and added a career-high eight rebounds, but the Saint Francis men's basketball team was defeated 82-70 by Sacred Heart in the back end of a two-game Northeast Conference series Friday.
 
Freshman Maxwell Land added 12 points, freshman Ronell Giles, Jr. chipped in 11, and senior Mark Flagg contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. The Red Flash was held to a season-low 35.8% from the field.
 
Sacred Heart 82, Saint Francis 70
Records: Saint Francis (3-8, 2-5), Sacred Heart (5-5, 5-4)
Location: Pitt Center (Fairfield, Conn.)
 
COACH KRIMMEL'S COMMENTS
"We've lost both games in these back-to-backs, we've split in these back-to-backs, and our goal was to go 2-0. We got the first leg of that 2-0 last night, and then got it to a position where we were within six in the second half but couldn't close. The first half is what got us in trouble. Our effort wasn't what it needed to be, especially on the glass, and our defensive rotations were a little bit slower … We learned some things about ourselves and things we can do differently and make sure we get one of these back-to-backs and go 2-0."
 
KEY MOMENTS

• A 10-0 Sacred Heart run grew a two-point Saint Francis deficit to 12 in the late stages of the first half.
• Saint Francis trimmed a 19-point Sacred Heart lead to six with under five minutes remaining, but the Pioneers scored the next eight to grow its advantage to 14 in the closing minutes.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The teams were tied 9-9 before a pair of Sacred Heart threes gave the hosts a 15-9 lead with 13:35 remaining in the opening half.
• A 10-0 Pioneer run gave the home team a 29-17 advantage before a Dixon-Conover basket broke up the run at 29-19 with 5:22 to play before halftime.
• Sacred Heart led 35-24 at the half, holding Saint Francis to 34.5% from the field.
• The Pioneers would extend their lead to 50-34 on a three-pointer with 13 minutes to play before a pair of free throws from Giles chipped into the deficit. Sacred Heart would respond to move ahead by 19 at 56-37.
• Saint Francis answered with an 8-0 run to get back within 11 at 56-45 with 8:49 to play and pulled within nine on a pair of Giles free throws at 58-49.
• Two flagrant free throws and a dunk – all scored by Flagg – helped SFU narrow the margin to 69-63 with 4:53 remaining, but Sacred Heart would answer with the next eight to put the comeback bid out of reach.

STATS

• Land scored nine of SFU's first 13 points and took a career-high 14 field goal attempts.
• Dixon-Conover grabbed a career-high eight rebounds to go with his 18 points while adding five assists and three steals. The senior guard is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game over his last five.
• Flagg added 10 points, eight rebounds, and his 98^th career block.
• Land made two of SFU's three shots from beyond the arc while Giles added the other.
• Redshirt freshman Josh Cohen added five rebounds and has averaged 7.7 per game over his last three. Cohen and freshman Zahree Harrison each corralled a pair of steals.
• Sacred Heart out-rebounded Saint Francis, 40-37. The Red Flash hauled in 15 offensive boards in the contest.

GAME NOTES

• Saint Francis drops to 22-16 all-time against Sacred Heart.
• The Pioneers are 4-0 this season in the second game of a back-to-back. The Red Flash fell to 0-3 in those games.
• The three made threes were tied for the fewest this season with last Friday's game against Bryant.

UP NEXT 
The Red Flash returns home for the first of four games in six days at DeGol Arena when SFU hosts Fairleigh Dickinson Tuesday at 7 p.m. on NEC Front Row.
 
Follow Saint Francis Men's Basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash.
 
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.