FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Kyle Vinales hit a season-high seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points as Central Connecticut State held on to defeat Sacred Heart 73-70 Saturday.
Neither team held more than a four-point advantage in the second half before Vinales hit his seventh 3-pointer to give CCSU a 62-57 lead with 6:34 to play. Sacred Heart pulled within one point twice more, its last when Evan Kelley scored to make it 71-70 with 4 seconds to play. CCSU's Malcolm McMillan then made two free throws to cap the scoring.
Vinales also dished out five assists and Faronte Drakeford added 11 points for CCSU (11-18, 7-9 Northeast Conference), which earned the No. 7 seed into the NEC tournament and will travel to No. 2 seed Wagner in the opening round Wednesday night.
De'Von Barnett scored 18 points to lead Sacred Heart (5-26, 2-14), which ended its season losing 13 of its last 14 games.
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