FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities at the free throw line and a frantic final sequence, the Sacred Heart Pioneers escaped with a 71-70 victory over the Niagara Purple Eagles in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at William H. Pitt Center.

The most critical juncture of the contest came in the final second, a chaotic finish that saw the lead change hands twice. With the game tied at 68 and only 9.9 seconds remaining, Niagara’s Justin Hawkins was called for a traveling violation, giving Sacred Heart possession. On the ensuing inbounds play, Pioneers guard Dashon Gittens found Anquan Hill cutting to the basket for a layup with one second left, putting Sacred Heart ahead 70-68.

The drama was far from over. On the inbound pass, Niagara’s Justin Page was called for a loose ball foul against Sacred Heart’s Mekhi Conner, sending Conner to the line with 0.8 seconds on the clock. Conner made the first free throw to extend the lead to three but missed the second. Hill secured the offensive rebound and was fouled by Hawkins with 0.1 seconds remaining. Hill made the first free throw to provide the final margin and intentionally missed the second, leaving Niagara no time for a final shot.

The heartbreaking loss for Niagara was underscored by a catastrophic performance at the charity stripe. The Purple Eagles shot a dismal 1 for 7 on free throws, including two critical misses in the final minute. Sacred Heart, while not stellar, capitalized enough by making 11 of 16.

Niagara controlled large stretches of the game through dominant interior play. The Purple Eagles outscored Sacred Heart 48-24 in the paint and outrebounded them decisively, led by a pair of double-doubles. Will Shortt, a 6-foot-8 forward from Sydney, Australia, scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. Josiah Sabino of Jacksonville, Florida, added 9 points and 13 rebounds, along with three assists and a block.

Sacred Heart countered with perimeter scoring and clutch playmaking. Dashon Gittens, a Hartford native, led all scorers with 19 points and dished out six assists, including the game-winning feed to Hill. Hill and Nyle Ralph-Beyer each contributed 19 points, with Hill adding four rebounds. Mekhi Conner of New Haven facilitated the offense with seven assists.

Niagara’s Vice Zanki provided a significant spark off the bench, scoring 19 points on efficient 8-of-12 shooting in just 19 minutes. Justin Page added 13 points and four assists for the Purple Eagles.

The game was a tight, back-and-forth affair throughout. Niagara took a 36-34 lead into halftime, but Sacred Heart slowly chipped away in the second period. The Pioneers finally tied the game at 66 on a Conner 3-pointer with 58 seconds left, setting the stage for the frantic finish.

Despite shooting 58.5 percent from the field compared to Sacred Heart’s 46.3 percent, Niagara’s inability to convert free throws and a 13-9 disadvantage in turnovers proved fatal. The Purple Eagles also failed to score any fastbreak points.

With the loss, Niagara falls to 5-15 overall. Sacred Heart improves to 9-13. The Pioneers avenged a 64-61 loss to Niagara on Jan. 2. A crowd of 930 attended the game at William H. Pitt Center.

Niagara next hosts Siena on Jan. 30, while Sacred Heart travels to face Quinnipiac on the same date.