FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — Anquan Hill scored 21 points and fell just short of a double-double as Sacred Heart used a dominant first half to build a sizable lead and then held off a persistent Rider rally for an 86-75 victory in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at the William Pitt Center.

The Pioneers, improving to 12-16 overall, shot with precision early and raced to a 19-point halftime advantage. They weathered a second-half push from the Broncs, who cut the deficit to single digits multiple times, before securing the win in front of 1,343 fans.

Hill, a 6-foot-9 junior from Philadelphia, added nine rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 35 minutes, anchoring the Sacred Heart effort. His performance continued a strong stretch, following a 30-point, 10-rebound outing in his last game.

Sacred Heart established control from the opening tip, connecting on 7 of its first 12 attempts from 3-point range in the first half. A 13-2 run, capped by a Fallou Gueye 3-pointer assisted by Dashon Gittens, gave the Pioneers a 25-8 lead midway through the period. The lead ballooned to 19 points at halftime, 49-30, as Sacred Heart shot 54% from the floor and forced eight Rider turnovers.

The second half saw a determined response from Rider, which fell to 3-22. The Broncs opened the period with more defensive intensity and began chipping away at the large deficit. A driving layup by Zion Cruz with 12:34 remaining cut the Sacred Heart lead to 61-52, marking the first time the margin was below double digits since the game’s opening minutes.

The most critical sequence of the game followed shortly after. With Sacred Heart’s lead trimmed to 68-60, the Pioneers’ defense stiffened. Gittens blocked a Zion Cruz layup attempt, leading to a fast break where he drained a 3-pointer from the wing off a Yann Farell assist to push the lead back to 71-60 with 8:53 left. Rider would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Sacred Heart’s balance proved key. Nyle Ralph-Beyer scored 15 points, while Farell and Jaden Slaughter each added 12. Gittens filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

Rider was led by the backcourt duo of Zion Cruz and Flash Burton, who scored 22 and 21 points, respectively. Cruz, from nearby Trenton, New Jersey, added six rebounds and four assists. Burton, who played 38 minutes, hit three 3-pointers. Caleb Smith grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Broncs.

Despite the loss, Rider won several statistical battles, outscoring Sacred Heart 30-28 in the paint, 13-10 on fast breaks, and 12-9 off turnovers. The Broncs also attempted 13 more free throws but made only 19 compared to Sacred Heart’s 16. The Pioneers’ early shooting barrage and their key defensive stops during Rider’s second-half rallies were the ultimate difference.

Sacred Heart next travels to face Fairfield on Friday. Rider returns home to host Canisius, also on Friday.