FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of momentum, the Sacred Heart Pioneers erased a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Marist Red Foxes 56-54 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Monday afternoon at the William Pitt Center.

The victory, secured before an announced crowd of 564, avenged a two-point loss to Marist just three weeks prior and was fueled by a dominant fourth-quarter performance and a game-high 21 points from Sacred Heart guard Nalyce Dudley.

The game’s trajectory was defined by two starkly different halves. Marist, the visiting team, controlled the first three quarters with methodical, if not always efficient, play. The Red Foxes built a 26-16 lead by halftime, limiting Sacred Heart to just four first-quarter points. They extended their advantage to 46-31 with a 20-point third quarter, their largest of the afternoon, and entered the final period leading 46-31.

The collapse that followed was comprehensive. Sacred Heart’s defense, which forced 19 turnovers, clamped down, holding Marist to a mere eight points in the fourth quarter on 3-of-15 shooting. Simultaneously, the Pioneers’ offense erupted for 25 points, nearly matching their total from the first three quarters combined.

The pivotal sequence began with just under nine minutes remaining and Marist still leading by 13. Sacred Heart’s Amelia Wood, who finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists, converted a three-point play. On the ensuing possession, she stole the ball from Marist’s Ciara Croker, leading to two free throws from Dudley. Wood then assisted on a Sophie Nascimento 3-pointer, capping an 8-0 run in just 90 seconds that cut the deficit to five and forced a Marist timeout.

Marist’s offense, which managed an offensive rating of just 80.2 points per 100 possessions for the game, went cold under the heightened pressure. The Red Foxes committed five of their 13 turnovers in the final quarter and missed all five of their 3-point attempts.

Sacred Heart continued its relentless push. Dudley, a sophomore from Norwich, Connecticut, was the catalyst, scoring nine of her points in the fourth. Her driving layup with 2:31 to play gave the Pioneers their first lead since the opening minute at 51-49. After a Marist miss, she assisted on a critical Nascimento 3-pointer with 1:01 remaining that extended the lead to 56-51, effectively sealing the game.

Marist had one final chance, down two with 12 seconds left after a Sacred Heart turnover, but Justine Henry’s contested jump shot from the elbow missed as time expired.

The statistical sheet underscored the tale of two halves. While both teams struggled from the field—Marist shot 36.8% and Sacred Heart 41.7%—the Pioneers capitalized at the free-throw line, making 11 of 16 attempts compared to Marist’s 6 of 7. Sacred Heart also dominated points in the paint, 28-18, a margin built largely in their fourth-quarter surge.

For Marist, Lexie Tarul led the way with 12 points, while Henry added 10 off the bench. Jackie Piddock contributed six points, four rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. The Red Foxes, who entered the game having won three of their last five, fell to 6-13 overall.

Sacred Heart, which improved to 8-10, also received key contributions from Nascimento with eight points and Missy Nuku, who tallied five points, four rebounds and four assists. Emma Kirby anchored the interior with eight rebounds.

The comeback victory flipped the script from the teams’ previous meeting on Dec. 29, where Marist held on for a 57-55 win in Poughkeepsie. It also defied the pregame analytics, as Sacred Heart’s win probability was projected at just over 55 percent by Interstat’s ELO system.

Marist looks to rebound Thursday when it hosts Siena. Sacred Heart continues its conference schedule on the road Thursday at Canisius.