NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (Interstat) — In-state Northeast Conference rivals Central Connecticut and Sacred Heart will meet Monday at William H. Detrick Gymnasium, with both teams looking to carry momentum from impressive victories.

The Blue Devils (3-2) are coming off a 67-54 road win against Rutgers on Friday. Jay Rodgers led the way with 15 points and nine assists, while Darin Smith Jr. scored a team-high 21 points. The win was a bounce-back performance after a close loss to Massachusetts.

Sacred Heart (2-3) enters on a high note after a 79-66 home victory over Holy Cross, also on Friday. Mekhi Conner powered the Pioneers with 18 points and six assists, while Anquan Hill added 16 points. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Pioneers, who had faced a challenging early schedule with road games at Duquesne and Villanova.

The game will be the conference opener for both teams. Central Connecticut holds a slight edge in the early season record, but Sacred Heart’s offense, which produced 103 points in a season-opening win over Merchant Marine, poses a threat.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST. Sacred Heart travels to Penn State next, while Central Connecticut hosts JWU in its following contest.