Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New Haven open the 2011 half of its schedule on Sunday with a 57-54 victory over cross-town rival Southern Connecticut State University. With the win, the Chargers improved to 3-7 overall and 2-5 Northeast-10, while the Owls fell to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

The Chargers scored first on Sunday and quickly took the lead at Moore Field House. UNH jumped out to a 20-11 lead in the first nine minutes. Freshman Justin Exum went ona 7-0 run during the scretch, while Robert Jamerson added a pair of layups. The Owls would answer in the next three minutes, going on a 10-0 run to take a 21-20 lead with 6:34 left in the first half. The teams then went back-and-forth in the final minutes of the first half. The Chargers and Owls exchanged the lead eight times in the final six and a half minutes. The Owls held a one-point, 34-33, lead as time expired in the first half.

Freshman Justin Exum led the team with 10 first-half points. Mike Stys and Robert Jamerson each added six points. UNH was out-rebounded 24-15 in the first half, but turned six SCSU turnovers into 10 points. New Haven also went 6-for-12 from downtown and 13-for-28 from the floor. The Owls connected on 5-of-18 three-point attempts and 12-of-33 total shots.

New Haven quickly took the lead back in the first minutes of the second half. Stys hit a three-pointer to even the score at 36-36, while Jamerson put the Chargers ahead with a jumper at the 18:02 mark. UNH went on to score eight straight points, including five from Stys, in a three minute span to take a 48-40 lead with 11:54 left. Southern immediately answered with its own 8-0 run, tying the score at 48-48 with just over 10 minutes remaining. Both teams went cold for the next six minutes, the Chargers held SCSU scoreless and only scored one basket. Over the final four minutes, the Chargers held on to a comfortable lead. Jeremy Williams gave the Chargers a seven-point lead off a bucket from downtown with 2:35 left. The Owls went on to cut the lead to three down the stretch, but the Chargers sealed the win in the closing seconds.

Stys finished the game with 14 points, including four three-pointers. He also grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Three others added double-digit points for the Chargers. UNH finished the game shooting 44.2-percent from the floor and 40-percent from three-point territory. The Chargers defense played very well Sunday afternoon, holding the Owls to 30.8-percent from the floor and 24.1-percent from long range. The Chargers also your 16 SCSU turnovers to score 19 points. The Chargers were, however, out-rebounded 51-30 in the game.

The Chargers return to action on Wednesday, January 5 when they travel to Bentley University. Game time in Waltham, Mass. is set for 7:30 p.m.