NCAAB · Final

Niagara Tops Sacred Heart in Close Contest

Friday, January 2, 2026, 4:00 PM ET · Gallagher Center

Niagara Purple Eagles 64, Sacred Heart Pioneers 61, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Sacred Heart Pioneers vs Niagara Purple Eagles?

Niagara Purple Eagles beat Sacred Heart Pioneers 64-61 at Gallagher Center on January 2, 2026.

Who was favored in Sacred Heart Pioneers vs Niagara Purple Eagles?

Sacred Heart Pioneers were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -135 (about 57% implied). The underdog won.

In a tightly contested game, the Niagara Purple Eagles emerged victorious against the Sacred Heart Pioneers, winning 64-61 at the Gallagher Center. This matchup was particularly noteworthy as it marked the first time these teams faced each other since their previous meeting in January 2025, where Niagara lost 77-86 at home. The victory for Niagara improves their record to 5-9, while Sacred Heart falls to 5-11.

Niagara's recent form has been a mixed bag. In their last ten games, they have a record of 2-8, with a current streak of one win. Their scoring average during this stretch is 62.3 points per game, while they have allowed an average of 75.8 points. Notably, they have struggled on the road, with an away record of 0-7, but have fared better at home with a 2-1 record in their last three games. Their most recent game before this victory was a win against the Houghton Highlanders, where they scored 81 points.

On the other hand, Sacred Heart has also faced challenges, posting a 4-6 record in their last ten games and currently on a two-game losing streak. They have averaged 75.1 points scored per game while allowing 77.6 points. Their away record stands at 2-4, indicating some struggles on the road, as they have lost their last two away games. Their last game was a loss to the Merrimack Warriors, where they scored 72 points.

The betting market reflected a close contest, with DraftKings listing Sacred Heart as 1.5-point favorites. The total points over/under was set at 139.5, with odds of -115 for the over and -105 for the under. The moneyline odds were +114 for Niagara and -135 for Sacred Heart, indicating a slight edge for the Pioneers.

In terms of player performances, Dashon Gittens was a key figure for Sacred Heart, making several crucial plays in the second half, including free throws and layups that kept the game competitive. Yann Farell also contributed with significant free throws and a three-point jumper that narrowed the gap late in the game. For Niagara, Reggie Prudhomme's three-point jumper, assisted by Trenton Walters, was pivotal in securing the lead as the game wound down.

The game conditions were typical for a winter evening in New York, with a lively crowd at the Gallagher Center supporting the home team. This atmosphere likely fueled Niagara's performance, allowing them to hold off Sacred Heart's late-game push.

Overall, this matchup showcased the competitive spirit of both teams, with Niagara managing to edge out Sacred Heart in a game that could have gone either way. As the season progresses, both teams will look to build on their performances, with Niagara hoping to leverage this victory for a turnaround in their season.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	SHU -1.5	139.5 o -115 / u -105	Sacred Heart Pioneers -135 · Niagara Purple Eagles +114

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsJustin Page23Niagara Purple Eagles
AssistsJustin Page2Niagara Purple Eagles
ReboundsWill Shortt8Niagara Purple Eagles
PointsDashon Gittens18Sacred Heart Pioneers
AssistsDashon Gittens1Sacred Heart Pioneers
ReboundsTaj Bryant8Sacred Heart Pioneers

Recent form

Niagara Purple Eagles

Last 10: 2-8Streak W162.3 scored · 75.8 allowed per game2-1 at home

W81-58vs Houghton HighlandersDec 20
L58-84at VCU RamsDec 16
L73-81at Morgan State BearsDec 13
L43-71at Saint Peter's PeacocksDec 7
L54-83at Siena SaintsDec 6
L66-70vs Detroit Mercy TitansNov 29
L70-80at Howard BisonNov 22
L42-100at Duke Blue DevilsNov 22
L68-74at Le Moyne DolphinsNov 18
W68-57vs Delaware State HornetsNov 10

Sacred Heart Pioneers

Last 10: 4-6Streak L275.1 scored · 77.6 allowed per game2-4 away

L72-80vs Merrimack WarriorsDec 29
L47-72at Towson TigersDec 22
W85-63vs Dartmouth Big GreenDec 19
L82-87at UMass Lowell River HawksDec 16
W65-49at NJIT HighlandersDec 13
L69-81vs Iona GaelsDec 7
W87-80at Mount St. Mary's MountaineersDec 4
L59-90at Penn State Nittany LionsNov 29
L106-108at Central Connecticut Blue DevilsNov 25
W79-66vs Holy Cross CrusadersNov 22

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Merrimack	23-11	-	17-3
Saint Peter's	17-12	3	14-6
Siena	23-12	4	13-7
Marist	19-12	5	12-8
Quinnipiac	19-13	5	12-8
Fairfield	21-13	6	11-9
Mount St. Mary's	15-17	6	11-9
Iona	18-14	7	10-10
Sacred Heart	14-19	8	9-11
Manhattan	12-20	9	8-12
Canisius	10-21	12	5-15
Niagara	8-22	12	5-15
Rider	4-25	14	3-17

Box score

Stat	Sacred Heart Pioneers	Niagara Purple Eagles
Field goals	20-53	23-47
Field goal %	38	49
Three-pointers	6-23	10-24
Three-point %	26	42
Free throws	15-18	8-12
Free throw %	83	67
Rebounds	37	24
Offensive rebounds	16	5
Defensive rebounds	21	19
Assists	5	11
Steals	4	6
Blocks	2	3
Turnovers	14	9
Team turnovers	1	3
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	13	13
Fast-break points	10	2
Points in the paint	28	24
Fouls	15	13
Largest lead	0	17
Lead changes	0	0
Time in front	0	99

How the scoring went

1st Half22-28Justin Page makes free throw 1 of 2
1st Half22-29Justin Page makes free throw 2 of 2
1st Half24-29Fallou Gueye makes 0-foot tip in layup
1st Half24-32Trenton Walters makes 24-foot three point jumper (Josiah Sabino assists)
2nd Half24-34Justin Page makes layup
2nd Half26-34Abdou Yadd makes layup
2nd Half26-37Justin Page makes 25-foot three point jumper (Landon Williams assists)
2nd Half28-37Abdou Yadd makes layup
2nd Half28-40Justin Page makes 23-foot three point jumper (Reggie Prudhomme assists)
2nd Half29-40Dashon Gittens makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half30-40Dashon Gittens makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half30-43Justin Page makes 23-foot three point jumper (Vice Zanki assists)
2nd Half30-45Vice Zanki makes 5-foot jumper
2nd Half33-45Dashon Gittens makes 22-foot three point jumper
2nd Half34-45Dashon Gittens makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half35-45Dashon Gittens makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half35-47Justin Page makes layup
2nd Half37-47Fallou Gueye makes layup
2nd Half37-50Justin Page makes 22-foot three point jumper (Josiah Sabino assists)
2nd Half37-52Justin Hawkins makes layup
2nd Half37-54Josiah Sabino makes layup (Reggie Prudhomme assists)
2nd Half40-54Yann Farell makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dashon Gittens assists)
2nd Half40-56Reggie Prudhomme makes layup (Justin Page assists)
2nd Half42-56Jaden Slaughter makes layup
2nd Half45-56Fallou Gueye makes 25-foot three point jumper (Yann Farell assists)
2nd Half45-57Justin Page makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half45-58Justin Page makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half46-58Taj Bryant makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half47-58Taj Bryant makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half47-61Trenton Walters makes 26-foot three point jumper
2nd Half48-61Dashon Gittens makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half50-61Dashon Gittens makes layup
2nd Half51-61Dashon Gittens makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half54-61Dashon Gittens makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half53-61Dashon Gittens makes layup
2nd Half55-61Yann Farell makes free throw 1 of 3
2nd Half56-61Yann Farell makes free throw 2 of 3
2nd Half59-61Yann Farell makes 24-foot three point jumper
2nd Half61-61Dashon Gittens makes layup
2nd Half61-64Reggie Prudhomme makes 25-foot three point jumper (Trenton Walters assists)

Win probability

Above the line favours Niagara Purple Eagles, below favours Sacred Heart Pioneers.