#23 New Haven vs. #5 Stonehill
Saturday, Jan. 24 - 3:30 p.m.
West Haven, Conn. - Charger Gymnasium
Game Coverage: Video | Live Stats
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
Opening Tip
#23 New Haven looks for its ninth win in the last 10 games when it hosts #5 Stonehill Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
For the first time in nearly three decades and only the fourth time in program history, the University of New Haven women's basketball team defeated Bentley 78-54 Wednesday night at the Dana Center. The win also breaks a streak of 17 straight games the Falcons in the series.
Four Chargers scored in double figured, led by a game-high 22 from senior Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy). She shot 10-of-16 from the floor and 2-2 at the line, while adding seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal to her statline. Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading), India Dotson (Akron, Ohio/Frederick (Md.) / Monmouth University) and Ashley LeBlanc (Methuen, Mass./Methuen) contributed 11, 10 and 10 points, respectively. In her first start at UNH, Dotson also finished with seven rebounds, a block, an assist and a steal. Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) also played well all-around with eight points, nine rebounds, five steals and a pair of rejections.
As a team, the Chargers shot 54.7 percent (35-64) from the floor, the second best this season. UNH also out-rebounded the Falcons 48-31 and came one shy of a season-high with eight blocked shots. The Chargers took advantage of 14 offensive rebounds to score 22 second-chance points and score 12 points in transition.
Bentley was led by Jen Gemma with 18 points, while Lauren Green added 15 tallies.
Bentley played its way to a 14-12 lead at the 12:56 mark, but the Chargers were sparked by a Hayes jumper and quickly took control of the first half. Hayes scored eight during a 24-5 New Haven run, as the Chargers took a 36-19 lead at the 5:16 mark. The Chargers continued its run through the final minutes and ended the half on a 34-10 run with a 46-24 lead.
The Chargers shot 65.6 percent from the floor (21-32) and 57.1 percent from three-point range (4-7).
New Haven improved its lead to 24 at the 18:34 mark of the second half, but the Falcons rallied with a 13-2 in the first five minutes of the stanza to cut the Chargers lead to 50-37. UNH took control over the next five minutes and again pushed its lead beyond 20 with a jumper from Hebert with 10:19 on the clock. New Haven's lead grew to 27 with 1:02 left before earning the victory by the final score.
Scouting Report
Stonehill enters the game ranked seventh in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll and is fifth in the D2SIDA Media Poll. The Skyhawks are coming off an 82-74 overtime win against Southern Connecticut State.
The Skyhawks are led by senior forward Toru Faieta who averages a double-double behind 15.6 points and 10.7 rebounds a game. Sophomore guard Kelly Martin and senior guard Amy Pelletier net 13.3 and 12.3 per night respectively. Paige Marshall comes in at just shy of double figure scoring, tallying 9.9 a contest.
Trisha Brown is in her 14th season as the head coach of the women's basketball team. During that time, the two-time NE-10 Coach of the Year has accumulated a record of 278-125 (.690) and has taken her team to the NCAA Tournament nine times.
All-Time Series
New Haven is 5-24 all-time against Stonehill and has lost 21 games in a row. The last time the Chargers downed Stonehill was on Nov. 27, 1990 when New Haven came away with a 64-56 win on the strength of shooting 53.1 percent from the field. Arrette Harvey led the team with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Head Coach Ty Grace is 0-1 in her career against Stonehill.
Getting Noticed
The New Haven women's basketball team has been recognized by the Northeast-10 Conference in all-but one week this season with four different players honored. Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy) has been the conference Player of the Week twice (11/17, 1/19) and appears on the honor roll five times (11/24, 12/1, 12/8, 1/5, 1/12). Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) (12/1, 12/22) and Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) (12/8, 12/22) have been on the weekly honor roll twice and Elizabeth Cruso (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) (1/5) appears on the honor roll once this season.
National Rankings
New Haven is making some noise on the national scene. The Chargers are ranked 23rd in the most recent D2SIDA Media Poll, up from 24th last week. New Haven has also received votes in each of the eight WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Polls in 2014-15.
Giant Slayers
New Haven's win against Bentley is the third for New Haven against a defending national champion in school history. In the 1987 national championship game, the Chargers beat 1986 champion Cal Poly-Pomona 77-75. and on Jan. 3, 1989, New Haven upended Hampton 68-53.
Up Next
The Chargers continue NE-10 cross-divisional play, hosting Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
