Fairfield, Conn. — In an exciting matchup on Thursday night, Tanner Thomas led the way for Sacred Heart, scoring 20 points as the Pioneers secured an 89-77 victory over Rider.

Thomas’s performance was complemented by a strong effort on the boards, where he recorded 10 rebounds, helping Sacred Heart improve to a 10-12 overall record and 6-5 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Anquan Hill also made a notable contribution, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, which included 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, while making 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Hill added six rebounds to his stat line.

Amiri Stewart chipped in 13 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field, although he did not manage to sink any shots from three-point territory (0-of-3). The Broncs were led by TJ Weeks Jr. and Tariq Ingraham, who both tallied 12 points each, while Stephen Byard rounded out the contributions from Rider with 11 points and eight rebounds, though the team fell to an 8-15 overall record and 4-8 within the conference.

Looking ahead, both teams are scheduled to compete again on Saturday. Sacred Heart will travel to face Fairfield, while Rider will host Siena in what promises to be another thrilling round of conference play.