Syracuse, N.Y. – Joey Reilly scored 17 points in the second half to lead Sacred Heart University to an 80-73 victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team in Northeast Conference action on Monday night at Ted Grant Court.

"I think anytime you're playing a team like Sacred Heart, who was pretty solid on the defensive side of the ball, you have to be able to get stops and they average 73 a game, we can't give up 80," said head coach Nate Champion '14. "You know, and I think for us, the inability to stop them in one-on-one, you know, is a glaring hole for us, so we got to figure out how to fix that."

Graduate student guard Kaiyem Cleary (Manchester, England/Redemption Christian Academy (NY)/Florida Southern/Florida Southwestern/Ball State) led the Dolphins with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double is the fourth of his career and the first in his four-year, 69-game NCAA career. Senior guard Darrick Jones Jr. (Richmond, Va./Oak Hill Academy/Towson) tallied 10 second-half points in 13 total minutes off the bench.

Reilly finished the contest with a game-best 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. He was 5-of-5 from the field in the second half, including 3-of-3 from three-point territory, while going 4-of-4 from the foul line. Aidan Carpenter registered 20 points, including 12 in the second half. Alex Sobel, the national Player of the Year last season at Middlebury College, just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while adding five assists and two blocks.

The Dolphins opened the game with the first eight points and 11 of the first 13 and held the Pioneers without a field goal over the initial 6:41 of the game. Graduate student guard Nate McClure (Houston, Texas/Concordia Lutheran/Texas State/State Fair C.C./IUPUI) started the scoring with a three-pointer, classmate Mike DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial/IUPUI) followed with a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and then graduate student forward Luke Sutherland (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/Siena/Bryant) scored in the paint. After a pair of free throws from Sacred Heart, McClure drained another three-pointer with 14:33 to go.

After the teams traded points over the next 3:12, resulting in a 19-11 Le Moyne lead, the Pioneers rattled off 14 of the next 17 points to take their first lead. Raheem Solomon scored the first four points over two possessions, Reilly followed with a three-pointer, Kyle McGee nailed a three-pointer and then Sobel made a lay-up for the lead and then Carpenter capped the run with a basket in the paint.

Le Moyne regained the lead with the next six points. Graduate student guard Isaiah Salter (Charlotte, N.C./Central Cabarrus/American International/Adelphi) connected on three free throws after being fouled taking a three-pointer and then Cleary buried a trifecta for a 28-25 advantage with 5:55 to go in the opening half.

Carpenter answered with a three-pointer to knot the score and Sobel put his team back in front with a lay-up.

After Cleary tied the score at 30 with a lay-up, Sobel and Carpenter scored in the paint around a media timeout to put the Pioneers in front for good.

Following a pair of Le Moyne baskets around a Carpenter free throw, Brendan McGuire converted a lay-up to give the Pioneers a 37-34 lead, which they carried into the intermission.

After the teams split the first 10 points of the second half, McGee made a three-pointer and Carpenter made a jumper to push Sacred Heart's lead to eight at the 16:14 mark.

Le Moyne countered with a 13-5 run to even the score at 52 with 11:09 to play. Cleary scored the first four points, freshman guard AJ Dancler (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) made two free throws, Cleary buried a three-pointer, junior forward Ocypher Owens (Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep/Indian River State) converted two foul shots and then Salter hit a pull-up jumper from the left side.

The Pioneers responded with the next seven points and 11 of the next 13 to take a nine-point advantage. Carpenter and Reilly each made two foul shots and then Reilly nailed a deep three-pointer from the right wing in transition to make it 59-52. After a Le Moyne basket in transition, Reilly and Carpenter both made shots in the paint.

Le Moyne scored the next four points to cut its deficit to five, but Reilly answered with a three-pointer and Carpenter followed with a jumper in the paint to put the Pioneers up by 10 for the first time with 5:06 remaining.

Sacred Heart's lead bounced between seven and nine points over the next four minutes before Jones Jr. hit a three-pointer with 38 seconds left to get the Dolphins within six.

Carpenter, McGee and Sobel each made two foul shots around a basket by DePersia to extend the lead to 10 before Jones Jr. ended the game's scoring with another three-pointer with one second left.
 
Le Moyne (6-11, 1-2 NEC) is back in action on Friday at Central Connecticut State University at 7:00 p.m. The Dolphins are 5-3 all-time against the Blue Devils with Friday's matchup being the first between the programs in 41 years.