EDISON, NJ (Feb. 5, 2025) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) today announced, that the Valentine’s Day men’s basketball meeting between Quinnipiac University and Sacred Heart University will be flexed to ESPNU as part of the MAAC Wildcard Game package. The Friday, February 14 game will tip at 7 p.m. at the William H. Pitt Center in Fairfield, CT.
 
The in-state rivals will meet as MAAC foes for the second time this season, having already faced each other during the December portion of the conference slate. Back on December 8, in Hamden, CT, the Bobcats defeated the Pioneers 83-73, improving to 2-0 in the MAAC at the time, while snapping Sacred Heart’s three-game winning streak. For Quinnipiac, this will be the team’s fifth contest flexed to ESPNU dating back to 2021-22, having one game last season appear on the network. MAAC newcomer Sacred Heart will be playing in its first ESPNU flexed game as a MAAC member.
 
The Quinnipiac Bobcats (13-9, 9-2 MAAC) entered the week in a second place tie with Merrimack College. For the second straight season, Quinnipiac began league play with a 9-1 record through 10 conference games, and the squad is 24-7 in MAAC regular season games over the past two seasons. The Bobcats had their six-game winning streak snapped on Sunday at Siena, falling 84-75. Quinnipiac is one of the top rebounding units in the MAAC, leading the league in rebounds per game (39.3) and defensive rebounds per game (26.9), while ranking fourth in offensive rebounding average (12.5). Quinnipiac will host a pair of home contests this week against the MAAC’s Western New York teams in Canisius University (February 6) and Niagara University (February 8).
 
The Sacred Heart Pioneers (9-12, 5-5 MAAC) sit in the top half of the MAAC standings – currently in sixth place – with their .500 league mark. The Pios are coming off of a, 74-72, last second game-winning home victory over Manhattan Sunday afternoon; the team’s third straight win. Sacred Heart is the league’s top scoring team and top three-point shooting squad. They are scoring 75.7 points per game, to lead the conference, and making 9.7 triples per game on .371 percent made threes per game, both of which rank first in the MAAC. Additionally, the Pioneers lead the MAAC in assists per game (15.7) and fastbreak points (12.1). Sacred Heart’s upcoming schedule will include a home date with Rider University (February 6) and a road game at in-state rival Fairfield University (February 8).
 
The MAAC Wildcard Game format allows ESPN to pick any game scheduled for that specific date to air on ESPNU and allows the MAAC and ESPN the flexibility to showcase the best matchups as the season progresses. Future MAAC wildcard matchups will be announced at later dates.
 
The 2024-25 campaign culminates with the 2025 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 11-15 at Atlantic City's Historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall for the sixth consecutive year dating back to 2020. For all information regarding the 2025 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on Twitter.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 44th year of competition during the 2024-25 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Threads or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.