FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Monmouth University men's basketball team dropped an 88-66 decision to Sacred Heart University in Northeast Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the Pitt Center. The Hawks end the 2010-11 regular season with a 9-21 overall record and a 5-13 mark in the league, while the Pioneers conclude the year at 11-18 and 6-12 in the NEC.

Mike Myers Keitt paced three Hawks in double figures with 20 points, adding four rebounds and four steals. Marcus Ware contributed 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while senior RJ Rutledge added 10 points and four boards.

SHU pushed its early lead to 13-8 six minutes into the contest after a Shane Gibson three-pointer. RJ Rutledge canned a three-pointer for MU, but the Pioneers maintained their advantage at 16-11 with 11:37 left in the opening half after a triple from Jerrell Thompson. Nick DelTufo found Ed Waite underneath with a bullet pass from the top of the key to cut SHU's lead to 24-17 with 7:24 left in the first half. An 11-0 Pioneers' run pushed the host's lead to 35-17 with just under four minutes remaining in the opening 20 minutes.

Gibson connected on a three to give Sacred Heart, which shot 62.1% from the field in the first 20 minutes, a 48-18 lead at halftime. Mike Myers Keitt led MU in the first half with four points and three rebounds.

Rutledge hit another three-pointer, Phil Wait converted a put back and James Hett found Myers Keitt with an alley oop on a fast break to cut the Pioneers' lead to 64-45 with 9:25 to go in the game. 

The Hawks shot 40.3% for the game, including 56.7% in the second half. Sacred Heart, which was led by Gibson's 24 points, shot 54.4% from the floor for the game.

The game marked the final collegiate contest for Monmouth's three seniors, Hett, Rutledge and DelTufo.