WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The visitors from Southern Connecticut State scored the final 11 points of the evening as the University of New Haven women's basketball was on the short end of a 71-66 decision on Tuesday evening at Charger Gymnasium. Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy) posted 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Chargers.
 
The loss snaps a two-game winning streak for the Chargers, who fall to 14-7 overall and 9-6 in the Northeast-10.  With their sixth win in seven outings, the Owls improve to 11-9 with an 8-7 conference mark.
 
Hayes' seventh double-double of the season came on a 9-for-16 shooting performance with eight offensive boards and five from the defensive glass. Ayana Duncanson (Elmont, N.Y./Francis Lewis) joined her in double figures with 10 points to go along with eight rebounds.
 
Briana Bradford (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) knocked down a pair of three-pointers en route to eight points off the New Haven bench, while Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) and Audrey Cunningham (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) added six points apiece. Elizabeth Cruso (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) and Jasmine Gibson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Spring Valley) each tallied five, and Rykema Stone (Bronx, N.Y./Wings Academy) and Ashley LeBlanc (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) netted four points each to round out the Chargers' offense.
 
Duncanson and Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) each handed out four assists, with Duncanson also posting three blocked shots.
 
New Haven was edged on the boards, 45-41, and each club collected 19 offensive rebounds. The Chargers committed 19 turnovers compared to 16 giveaways by the Owls.
 
Taylor McLaughlin led SCSU with 22 points as four Owls reached double figures.
 
In a game that featured six ties and 13 lead changes, New Haven gained the early advantage with a five-point cushion before the Owls broke through to knot the contest at 15-15 midway through the first half. The visitors continued their run to build a three-point lead at 19-16, but a Cunningham three-pointer would swing the advantage back to the Chargers at 23-21 with 7:07 to go in the period. The New Haven lead grew to eight, 31-23, before a six-point Owls' run in the closing minutes. The Blue and Gold would strike last in the stanza as Gibson knocked down a desperation trey at the buzzer to send the hosts into the locker room with a 34-29 advantage.
 
New Haven maintained its lead for the opening five minutes of the second half until a Keshia Primo three-point play knotted the contest at 43-43. A McLaughlin layup then marked the first of six lead changes over the ensuing 6:49 – capped on a Hayes layup with 7:47 to go. Bradford added a three-pointer after a stop on the defensive end, and Hayes followed with a jumper to stake the Chargers to a 66-60 advantage with 6:33 remaining.
 
However, New Haven would not score for the remainder of the evening. McLaughlin and Danielle Powell each scored four points down the stretch as the Owls ran off the game's final 11 tallies to take a 71-66 win.
 
Up next, a pivotal NE-10 Southwest Division road swing brings the Chargers to Saint Rose on Saturday, Feb. 8. New Haven will then visit Le Moyne on Feb. 11 before resuming the home slate on Saturday, Feb. 15 against Pace.