POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grinding defense and missed opportunities, Justin Menard’s clutch three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining lifted Marist to a 65-63 victory over Sacred Heart in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at McCann Recreation Center.

The Red Foxes, who led for only 3 minutes and 23 seconds of the contest, snatched the win from the Pioneers in the final minute, overcoming a late four-point deficit to improve to 18-10 overall. Sacred Heart, which led by as many as nine points in the first half, fell to 12-18.

The decisive sequence began with the score tied at 62. After Sacred Heart’s Dashon Gittens blocked a driving layup attempt by Marist’s Rhyjon Blackwell, the Pioneers secured the rebound but immediately turned the ball over. Following a timeout, Marist worked the ball to Menard, a junior guard from Higganum, Connecticut, who drained a contested three-pointer from the wing for a 65-62 lead.

Sacred Heart had a chance to tie on its final possession, but Anquan Hill’s three-point attempt from the top of the key was off the mark as time expired. Menard secured the defensive rebound to seal the outcome.

The game was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Marist struggled mightily from inside the arc, making just 11 of 30 two-point attempts, but stayed afloat by hitting 13 three-pointers. Sacred Heart controlled the interior, outscoring Marist 20-14 in the paint and dominating the offensive glass 11-5, leading to 13 second-chance points. However, the Pioneers’ offense was plagued by inaccuracy, shooting 36.7% from the field and a costly 61.1% from the free-throw line.

The most critical disparity came in ball security and points off turnovers. Marist committed only four turnovers, while Sacred Heart gave the ball away 11 times. The Red Foxes converted those miscues into 12 points, compared to just five for the Pioneers. That margin proved decisive in a two-point game.

Menard led all scorers with 22 points, including four three-pointers. His backcourt mate, Parby Kabamba of Kinshasa, Congo, added 13 points, all in the first half, and hit the three-pointer that tied the game at 62 with just over a minute to play. Myles Parker contributed 15 points for Marist, while Jadin Collins-Roberts anchored the defense with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Sacred Heart was led by Nyle Ralph-Beyer, who scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Dashon Gittens of Hartford, Connecticut, filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Anquan Hill added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Pioneers.

The first half set the tone for a defensive struggle. Sacred Heart built an early lead behind its work on the boards and led 36-33 at halftime. The Pioneers maintained a narrow advantage for much of the second half, but could never extend the lead beyond two possessions, in part due to 5-of-10 shooting from the free-throw line after halftime.

Marist finally drew even at 59 on a three-pointer from Parker with 3:38 to play. Ralph-Beyer answered with two free throws to put Sacred Heart back up 61-59, and after a Menard layup, Gittens found Hill for a dunk to give the Pioneers a 63-61 edge with 1:35 left. Kabamba’s triple on the next possession set the stage for Menard’s game-winner.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Marist, which defeated Sacred Heart 76-72 on Jan. 9. The Red Foxes finished the game with an offensive rating of 94.4 points per 100 possessions, narrowly besting Sacred Heart’s 91.9, in a contest where both teams had exactly 69 possessions.

An announced crowd of 1,354 watched the game, which fell well under the pregame over/under line of 146.5. Marist, which had been a 7.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, next hosts Saint Peter’s on March 1. Sacred Heart returns home to face Mount Saint Mary’s on Friday.