FAIRFIELD — Nationally televised games don’t always come around for mid-majors, but when they do, they show out, and Quinnipiac’s 99-87 victory over Sacred Heart Friday night was no exception.
Losers of two out of the last three games, the start was not what the Bobcats had in mind.
The Pioneers began the game shooting the lights out of the ball, draining nine three-pointers in the first half. The Bobcats zone defense that has been a key point in their success this season was made to look faulty.
“One of our primary defensive calls was to control the strike limit threes,” head coach Tom Pecora said. “We go in at halftime; they made nine, so we’re not executing our game plan.”
Redshirt junior forward Tanner Thomas and freshman guard Mekhi Conner were tearing up the Bobcats defensively, both having double figures when the first half ended.
But Quinnipiac didn’t surrender, pulling together a 54-point second half to get back into the win column.
The Bobcats switched from their normal zone into a man-on-man defense in the second half, neutralizing Sacred Heart’s hot shooting.
Sacred Heart is the MAAC’s leader in three-point percentage, and the Bobcats were able to rally and hold the Pioneers to three triples in the second half, destabilizing their offense. While the Bobcats changed defensively, how were they able to change what was once a 14-point margin into a nine-point win?
Their bench.
When Quinnipiac’s starters were not producing, Pecora pulled in freshman guard Jaden Zimmerman and senior guard Doug Young to light a spark, and they did.
Zimmerman has been in and out of the starting lineup in his first season at Hamden. His ability to score from all three levels has been a vital point of his spot in the rotation. The Bronx, New York native was able to change the game with a career-high 24 points.
“I told him to keep going,” junior forward Amarri Monroe said. “They couldn’t guard him. His shot was falling. He was getting to the rim, making his free throws. It made it easier for us to get the rebounds when they got to fly out at him.”
While Zimmerman has been a mainstay in the rotation, Young is the opposite. The 2024-25 season was not what the Houston, Texas native would’ve expected. The usual six-man in the rotation a year prior, Young has played in 22 games this season however, in six of those, he played single-digit minutes.
“I work really hard,” Young said. “I don’t get down on my stuff. I know I don’t play a lot, but I’m not trying to be an energy sucker; I want to be somebody the younger guys can look up to when they’re not doing well.”
When he was given his chance to showcase his talents, Young didn’t disappoint, dropping a season-high 18 points with 14 coming in the second half.
“Doug is worthy of getting in the game tonight because he’s been handling his business,” Pecora said. “He’s been practicing hard and doing all the things we need him to do to win games. He’s doing all the things he needs to do to be a successful young man.”
Quinnipiac now travels back to Hamden to face off with a gritty Iona team that spelled troubles in its first matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
“We have a very good Iona team coming in Sunday afternoon,” Pecora said. “So you’ll have to celebrate till midnight, then you start thinking about your next opponent.”
