Sacred Heart hosts Mount St. Mary's following Thomas' 26-point game

Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (12-16, 8-6 NEC) at Sacred Heart Pioneers (8-19, 4-10 NEC)

Fairfield, Connecticut; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

LINE: Sacred Heart -2.5; over/under is 134

BOTTOM LINE: Sacred Heart plays the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers after Tanner Thomas scored 26 points in Sacred Heart's 80-79 loss to the Merrimack Warriors.

The Pioneers have gone 4-7 in home games. Sacred Heart gives up 75.5 points and has been outscored by 3.4 points per game.

The Mountaineers have gone 8-6 against NEC opponents. Mount St. Mary's is seventh in the NEC with 21.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Malik Jefferson averaging 4.3.

The teams play for the second time this season in NEC play. The Mountaineers won the last meeting 98-59 on Jan. 22. Mezie Offurum scored 22 points to help lead the Mountaineers to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Aaron Clarke is averaging 16.3 points and four assists for the Pioneers. Tyler Thomas is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games for Sacred Heart.

Jalen Benjamin is averaging 12.9 points and four assists for the Mountaineers. Offurum is averaging 11.3 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 47.3% over the last 10 games for Mount St. Mary's.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pioneers: 1-9, averaging 71.0 points, 30.4 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 4.3 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.2 points per game.

Mountaineers: 6-4, averaging 65.8 points, 35.7 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 5.4 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 58.5 points.

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