It was late on a Wednesday night in Albany, and if you were checking the Sacred Heart basketball score on your phone, you probably did a double-take. The Pioneers, who had been trudging through a brutal six-game losing streak, didn’t just win. They exploded.
They took down Siena 86-80 on January 14, 2026, in a game that felt like a fever dream for anyone following the MAAC standings. Most people assume a team with a 6-13 record is just filler for the schedule. Honestly, that's a mistake. This team is weirdly dangerous because of one specific thing: they shoot the lights out when nobody is looking. They dropped 15 three-pointers on Siena's head. That isn't a fluke; it's a philosophy.
Why the Sacred Heart Basketball Score is Deceptive
If you just look at the final numbers, you see a team under .500. But if you dig into the box scores from this 2025-26 season, you'll see they are 17th nationally in free throw percentage. They shoot nearly 78% from the stripe. In that Siena game, they went a perfect 13-of-13.
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Think about that.
In a high-pressure road environment at the MVP Arena, with 4,000 people screaming, they didn't miss once. That’s not just "good for mid-major" ball. That’s elite concentration. The Pioneers are basically a collection of snipers who sometimes forget to play defense. Their defensive rating is... well, it’s not great. They rank 307th in the country for a reason. They give up about 77 points a game, which is why their record looks the way it does.
The Anquan Hill Factor
You can't talk about the score without mentioning Anquan Hill. Against Siena, he put up 22 points. He’s a 6'9" forward who plays like a guard when he needs to. He’s averaging about 16.2 points per game this season.
Then you have Nyle Ralph-Beyer. He’s the guy who will break your heart. He dropped 21 in that same game, hitting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. When those two are clicking, the Sacred Heart basketball score usually ends up in the 80s. When they aren't, things get ugly fast. Like that 47-72 loss to Towson back in December. That was a rough one.
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The Women’s Team is a Different Story
While the men are trying to claw out of the basement, the Sacred Heart women’s team is actually a force in the MAAC. Their scores tell a much more consistent story.
On the same day the men were upseting Siena in Albany, the women were back in Fairfield at the William H. Pitt Center doing the same thing. They beat Siena 70-58. It wasn't even as close as the score looks. They held Siena to four points in the second quarter. Four. You don't see that in Division I basketball very often.
Recent Women’s Results (January 2026)
- Jan 14 vs Siena: W 70-58
- Jan 10 at Quinnipiac: L 49-65
- Jan 3 vs Canisius: W 77-61
- Jan 1 vs Niagara: W 84-53
Coach Jessica Mannetti has this team playing a brand of defense that the men’s side probably envies. They are 7-9 overall, which sounds mediocre, but they are 5-2 in the conference. That's the number that matters. They are currently a legitimate threat to win the MAAC tournament and head back to the Big Dance.
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What to Watch for in the Next Box Score
The Pioneers have a heavy schedule coming up. For the men, the game against Rider on January 19 is massive. Rider has been struggling even worse than Sacred Heart, sitting at 1-13. If the Pioneers don't put up a big score there, the Siena win will look like an outlier.
The women have a huge matchup against Marist on January 19. Marist is always a tough out in this league. If you're looking for the Sacred Heart basketball score in that one, expect a grind. It’ll likely be in the 50s or 60s.
Keep an eye on the "Points in the Paint" stat. Sacred Heart gets out-muscled a lot. Against Siena, they were outscored 48-26 in the paint but won because of the perimeter. That’s a risky way to live. Eventually, the shots stop falling.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- The Over is your friend: Especially with the men's team. They shoot fast, they shoot threes, and they don't stop anyone on the other end.
- Watch the Free Throw Line: If a game is close in the final two minutes, Sacred Heart has the advantage. They almost never miss at the end of games.
- Home Court Matters: The William H. Pitt Center is a small, loud gym. Both the men and women play significantly better there than on the road.
- Follow the Starters: Sacred Heart doesn't have a deep bench. If Hill or Gittens gets into foul trouble early, the score is going to plummet.
The reality of Sacred Heart basketball right now is volatility. You might get a 103-point blowout win like they had against Merchant Marine, or you might get a 44-point dud like the women had against Georgetown. But one thing is for sure: you can't ignore them just because of the logo on the jersey. They have the shooters to ruin anyone's night.
Keep a close eye on the MAAC standings as we head into February. The Pioneers are starting to find their rhythm, and the scores are finally starting to reflect the talent on the roster. Whether it's the men's three-point barrage or the women's lockdown defense, there's a lot more to this program than just a number on a scoreboard.
Check the official Sacred Heart Athletics site or ESPN for the live updates on the next tip-off. The momentum is shifting in Fairfield.
Next Steps: To stay ahead of the curve, you should track the Pioneers' defensive rebounding percentages over their next three games. This is the single biggest indicator of whether their recent winning streak is sustainable or just a temporary hot streak from the three-point line. If they can keep opponents under 10 second-chance points, they are a lock for a top-six seed in the conference tournament.