Ike Azotam scored 14 points and Ousmane Drame added 13 but it was the Bobcats' late defense which Quinnipiac to a crucial 81-74 win over Sacred Heart in an NEC game at the Pitt Center on Thursday night.
Quinnipiac tried everything hoping to silence Gibson. Finally it was junior college transfer Shaq Shannon who held the key to throttling the Pioneer guard who entered the game 11th in the nation in scoring at 20.5 points.

Ike Azotam

Gibson scored 36 points but was shut out for the final 8 minutes, 58 seconds of play as Quinnipiac posted a pivotal 81-74 win in a Northeast Conference game at the Pitt Center. It is the fifth straight win for the surging Bobcats and seventh victory in their last eight games. The recent hot stretch has vaulted Quinnipiac into the top half of the NEC standings with four difficult games remaining on the docket.

Shannon finished with 11 points and Zaid Hearst added 10 for the Bobcats which moved into fourth place in the NEC just a game and a half behind front-running Robert Morris. James Ford came off the bench to score a nine crucial points in just eight minutes.
It was the 64th meeting between the two teams and most likely the last time they’ll meet in conference play as the Bobcats will join the MAAC next year.
“Losing begets losing and winning begets winning and we’re on the good side now,” Quinnipiac coach Tom Moore said.
"We're bigger and we're deeper than they were."
They work really hard. We've had a lot of growth on this team."
Moore said his Bobcats hit the low point of the season in the second half of their last game against Sacred Heart, an 80-74 loss.
"We were awful then. Now we're the higest point we've been all season. They believe that anything is possible."

SAINT FRANCIS (PA.) AT QUINNIPIAC

Where: TD Bank Sports Center, Hamden

When: Saturday, 3 p.m.

Records: St. Francis (Pa.) (3-21, 3-10 Northeast Conference): Quinnipiac (11-13, 7-5)

Radio: WQUN-1220 AM

Internet: www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com

Video: NEC Front Row

What to look for

Scouting St. Francis: It has been a dreadful season for the Red Flash which lost its first 11 games of the season before upsetting Central Connecticut State. St. Francis knocked off its second state team on Thursday playing spoilers by winning at Sacred Heart 64-60. Earl Brown had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Flash which snapped a two-game slide. Brown scored 14 and grabbed 18 rebounds against the Bobcats earlier in the season.

Scouting Quinnipiac: The Bobcats defeated rival Robert Morris 63-61 on Thursday for their fifth win in the last six games and third straight for the first time this season. With the win Quinnipiac moved into sixth place in the NEC standings as Evan Conti led all scorers with 18 points including a big jumper with 13 seconds to play. Ousmane Drame had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Quinnipiac which crushed the Colonials on the backboards 29-12 in the second half alone. Quinnipiac needed overtime to defeat St. Francis earlier in the season 75-66 as Ike Azotam had 22 points and 11 rebounds.

-- Bill Cloutier

Where: TD Bank Sports Center, Hamden
When: Today, 7 p.m.
Records: Monmouth 8-15 (3-7 Northeast); Quinnipiac 9-13 (5-5)
Radio: WQUN-1220; Internet: quinnipiacbobcats.com
WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Scouting Monmouth: Monmouth has lost six straight to Quinnipiac, including an NEC quarterfinal matchup in 2010. MU’s last win came in the series was Jan. 2, 2010. The Hawks have lost three straight games overall, all by at least 14 points and have fallen into 10th in the conference. They are 2-10 on the road. Scoring leader Andrew Nicholas is questionable with a heel injury. Jesse Steele is coming off a career high 27 points vs. Bryant last time out.
Scouting Quinnipiac: The Bobcats got an important win at Wagner last time out to move into a tie for seventh place in the NEC standings. Ousmane Drame had a stellar two-game road trip scoring 32 points and grabbing 30 rebounds coming off the bench. The Bobcats are 4-6 at home but have won their past two games at Hamden. Quinnipiac went 36 for 44 from the free-throw line in their win at Wagner. The Bobcats were last in the NEC rankings from the line prior to that performance.
— Bill Cloutier