BOX SCORE Box Score
WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Senior Lauren Boivin led all scorers with 17 points on Saturday afternoon, but the University of New Haven women’s basketball team dropped a home game to cross-town rival Southern Connecticut State University by the final score of 70-40 at Charger Gymnasium. The day marked the first annual 'Unity Thru Hoops' event between the two institutions. The day consisted of various activities to celebrate unity and enhance diversity among student-athletes, administrators and coaches at the local, conference and national levels.
With the loss, the Chargers fell 2-19 on the season and 1-16 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Owls kept their playoff hopes alive, improving to 9-13, 5-12 in the league.
Senior Lauren Boivin propelled UNH to a quick start, scoring six of the first eight points for the Chargers. However, with the score 18-14 in favor of the Owls, SCSU ignited on a 10-0 run to open its lead to double-digits. The teams exchanged baskets in the closing minutes, when the half came to a close with a deep three-pointer from Audrey Cunningham. After the long three, the Chargers trailed 37-23 at the break.
The Owls shot 42 percent from the floor and controlled a 27-15 edge on the boards. Southern also connected on five from behind the arc and had six players with four or more points. Boivin paced the Chargers with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting with three rebounds.
After the intermission, SCSU continued to dominate in the post, disallowing New Haven back into the contest. The Owls connected on 48 percent of their field goals and held the Chargers to just 25 percent shooting in the second half.
The bench points proved to be the big difference in the game, as SCSU poured in 43 compared to UNH’s six. Boivin pumped in game-high 17 points to lead the way for the Chargers. Nicole Pollard added seven and Anh-Dao Tran and Audrey Cunningham each recorded six.
Three Owls finished with double-figures – Moni Smith-Ocran had 12 and 13 rebounds, Alex Fiola registered 11 and Shelley Pierson chimed in with 10.
The Chargers return to the hardwood on Tuesday, February 8 when they play host to Assumption College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
