WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Shane Gibson scored 24 points and Jerrell Thompson got 17 of his 19 points in the second half as Sacred Heart defeated Monmouth 80-65 on Saturday night in a Northeast Conference game.
After the score was tied for the 10th time, 53-53 with 8:46 remaining, the Pioneers (7-8, 2-2) used a 20-3 burst to open a 73-56 lead with 1:39 left. Thompson and Stan Dulaire scored six points each during the run.
Sacred Heart shot 55.3 percent (26 of 47) overall, including 57.1 percent (16 of 28) in the second half. Gibson was 6 of 9 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
Ed Waite's 15 points led the Hawks (5-11, 1-3), who shot 39.7 percent (23 of 58) for the game.
Neither team led by more than six points in a first half that contained five ties and ended with Monmouth ahead 30-29. Mike Myers Keitt scored eight of his 10 points for Monmouth in the first half.
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