WEST HAVEN, CONN. - Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) netted a career-high 15 points and Elizabeth Cruso (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) scored half of her eight tallies during the final 1:12 as the University of New Haven women's basketball team won a thriller against the American International Yellow Jackets 62-60 in the Chargers home opener on Tuesday evening.

In addition to Hebert's effort, Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) scored 10, leaving her just five points shy of 1,000 for her career. Rykema Stone (Bronx, N.Y./Wings Academy) pulled in a season-high 10 rebounds.

The Chargers (4-1, 2-1 NE-10) and Yellow Jackets (1-3, 0-2 NE-10) played to a 28-28 draw in the first half with the Blue and Gold holding a slight advantage in shooting 41.4% to 40.0%.

Things remained tight in the second half with AIC leading 55-52 when a jumper in the lane by Stone pulled UNH to within a point at the 2:43 mark. After a defensive stop, Briana Bradford (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) dropped a three-pointer to put the Chargers on top 57-55. Alyssa Roach countered with a trey of her own for American International to push the Yellow Jackets back on top.

Undaunted, New Haven came back next as a Cruso layup and a free throw by Hebert gave the Chargers a 60-58 lead with 41 seconds remaining. The Blue and Gold were able to get a defensive stop, but AIC pulled home an offensive rebound and was fouled. Imani Stepney hit both at the charity stripe to knot the game at 60-60. On the ensuing inbound, the Yellow Jackets committed a foul, sending Cruso to the line where she converted both, propelling the Chargers to the victory.

For the game, New Haven outshot AIC 40.7% to 37.9% and outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 39-35.

The Chargers now are off until the weekend when they will travel to Wilmington, Delaware when they will square off against Goldey-Beacom in a non-conference contest at 3:00 pm.