Sacred Heart shot over 50%, while holding the Presbyterian College men's basketball team to just under 35% from the field in an 83-57 win Friday evening in the first game of the Bobcat Invitational being held in Hamden, Conn., Nov. 22-24.  JC Younger hit four three-pointers to lead the Blue Hose scoring with 12 points, followed by Kody Shubert with 11 points.
 
Scoring the Game
Sacred Heart held a slim 5-4 lead early in the first half, but were able to extend it to 23-10, at the 10 and a half mark off an 18-6 run. Layups from Zeb Graham and Michael Isler under the eight-minute mark cut the Pioneer lead to nine, 25-16, but EJ Anosike's three-pointer at 7:32 turned it back into a double-digit lead, 28-16. It was the start of a seven straight to build Sacred Heart's lead to 32-16, 6:48 remaining.  With SHU leading 36-22 after Michael Isler cut the margin to 14 off a layup at 3:02 both teams each hit two three pointers in the final three minutes, both of PC's coming from Kody Shubert, as the Pioneers went into the locker room leading 42-28 at the break.
 
Cory Hightower cut the margin to 12 with a basket at the 18-minute mark, but Sacred Heart followed it up with a 13-2 run to extend its lead to 57-34, 14:31 left in the game.  CJ Melton hit a layup, while Shubert added another three-pointer to make it 60-39, 13:32 remaining.  Two three-pointers over the next three minutes led the Pioneers to the 65-41 lead, just over nine to play.  Leading 65-43, SHU outscored the Blue Hose 11-6, the two scores for PC two JC Younger three-pointer at 4:48 and 3:18, as the Blue Hose trailed 76-49.  Both teams traded baskets down the stretch with Sacred Heart coming away with the 83-57 win.
 
Players of the Game
Leading the Blue Hoses was JC Younger with 12 points, all of them coming off a four-of-10 effort from the perimeter.  Kody Shubert finished with 11 points, nine coming off three three-pointers.  Chris Martin paced the team with nine rebounds and four assists.  Koreem Ozier led Sacred Heart with 21 points, with Jare'l Spellman adding 11 rebounds.
 
Stats of the Game
Sacred Heart shot 50.8%, while holding PC to 34.8% from the field.  The Blue Hose finished with seven three-pointers, compared to 10 for SHU.  PC was four-of-six in free throws, SHU 13-of-14.  The Pioneers out-rebounded the Blue Hose 43-31, and had two more turnovers, 19-17.
 
Notables
The 11 steals is tied for 11^th in the PC DI record book
Kody Shubert's four steals tied for 12^th in the PC DI record book
Kody Shubert's three three-pointers was a career-high
 
For the Record
PC drops to 1-4 overall, while Sacred Heart improves to 2-3.
 
Up Next
The Blue Hose continue play in the Bobcat Invitational Nov. 23-24.  PC faces Quinnipiac on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and Albany on Sunday at 1 p.m.