Associated Press

Sacred Heart Pioneers (2-5) at Boston University Terriers (3-4)

Boston; Sunday, 4 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Boston University takes on Sacred Heart after Azmar Abdullah scored 21 points in Boston University’s 69-62 victory over the Howard Bison.

The Terriers have gone 1-2 at home. Boston University is 0-1 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Pioneers are 0-4 on the road. Sacred Heart averages 11.3 turnovers per game and is 2-2 when winning the turnover battle.

Boston University’s average of 8.7 made 3-pointers per game is 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 10.3 per game Sacred Heart allows. Sacred Heart averages 70.6 points per game, 3.7 more than the 66.9 Boston University gives up to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kyrone Alexander is scoring 11.1 points per game and averaging 5.6 rebounds for the Terriers.

Tanner Thomas is averaging 12.2 points for the Pioneers.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Expectations are high for the Boston Red Sox to add big-name talent in free agency this year, but it’s worth remembering that Boston has several free agents of their own.

There’s slugging outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who led the team in home runs this season. There are reliable veteran relievers Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin. Then, there’s the only free agent the Red Sox have already made a confirmed offer to this winter.

Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta received a qualifying offer from the Red Sox at the start of the month, then turned it down the week before Thanksgiving. This means Boston will get an extra draft pick if Pivetta departs, but there’s still a chance the Sox might want to bring him back, too.

If Pivetta does leave, however, perhaps he could reunite with the man who brought him to Boston in the first place.

On Friday, Pivetta was predicted to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals by Andy McCullough of The Athletic. Earlier this month, the same publication projected a three-year, $48 million contract for Pivetta this winter.

“A new era is dawning in St. Louis, where John Mozeliak is a year away from handing over the keys of the franchise to former Rays and Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom. Bloom acquired Pivetta with Boston back in 2020,” McCullough said.

“Pivetta puts up tantalizing peripheral numbers and misses a lot of bats. If he could ever cut down on his home run rate, he might look like a No. 2 or No. 3 starter. Perhaps he could realize that fate in St. Louis.”

Pivetta, 31, had a 6-12 record and 4.14 ERA this past season. But he struck out 10.6 batters per nine innings, a season after putting up an 11.5 mark in the same category. He’s got a career home run rate of 1.5 per nine innings, but his stuff is nasty if he can ever figure out how to keep it away from barrels.

The Cardinals might not be bigger spenders than the Red Sox on the whole, but one could see them outmaneuvering Boston for Pivetta if the Sox’s front office prioritizes bigger names on the starting pitching market. The righty would then hope to make his old team rue the day they let him walk.

More MLB: Insider’s Proposed Red Sox Blockbuster Swaps 24-Year-Old Slugger For Garrett Crochet

A man is being held pending a dangerousness hearing after being arraigned in Plymouth District court on Friday in connection to the death of a man in Marshfield on Wednesday.

65-year-old Richard Lombardi is facing manslaughter and assault and battery charges in connection to the death of an 80-year-old man in a home on 853 Main Street, according to the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office.

According to the prosecution, Lombardi and the victim, identified as Frank Griswald, were longtime roommates.

Lombardi told police that he had an argument with Griswald and shoved him, causing him to fall and hit his head, according to court documents.

The prosecutor Griswald died of blunt force trauma to neck and head.

Lombardi has been held on $1 million bail since he was arrested on Wednesday by authorities.