WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Junior guard Jemal Mosley (Spring Valley, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep / Putnam Science Academy) led all scorers in the game with 27 points as the University of New Haven men's basketball team (6-13, 3-10 NE-10) dropped a 76-68 decision to the visiting Hawks of #9 Saint Anselm (16-2, 11-2 NE-10) on Saturday afternoon.
The game also served as the Chargers annual Coaches vs. Cancer game as the leaders from both squads wore sneakers with their suits to help raise awareness for cancer research. All proceeds raised by the men's basketball team will be split between the American Cancer Society and Colin's Crew, which was formed to provide financial and emotional support to the family Colin Westbrook, son of Heather and Michael frmo Wallingford, Conn., who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in October 2009, just days after his second birthday.
Mosley's 27 points are the second most he has scored this season, while this is the fifth time he has scored 20-plus, all of which have been in Northeast-10 action. He was the only Charger in double figures for the Hawks as sophomore Tommy Hunt (Smithfield, R.I./St. Andrew's) followed him in leading the team with nine points.
Mosely finished the game with a career-high 12 field goals made, all of which came in 22 attempts for a 55 percent shooting effort. As a team, the Chargers finished the game shooting 46.8 percent, making 29 field goals in 62 attempts. They also finished 8-of-9 at the free throw line with two of the 29 made field goals coming from beyond the arc.
Rounding out the leading scorers for New Haven was senior Samir McDaniels (Roxbury, Mass./New Mission) and redshirt freshman Michael Bourke (South Orange, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) who each chipped in eight points. McDaniels led the individual shooting efforts with his eight points coming on four baskets in six attempts for an average of 67 percent.
The Chargers also trailed Saint Anselm in the battle of the boards by a 33-27 margin with McDaniels leading the squad pulling down eight boards. Mosley would add to his offensive success with a team-best two assists and two steals.
New Haven opened the game scoring the first five points of the afternoon on a three pointer from Hunt and a jumper from Mosley. Saint Anselm would respond to that early rally with one of their own, rattling off nine straight points and taking their first lead of the game at 7-5 thanks to a three pointer from Mike McCahey.
Facing a four point deficit, 11-7, the Chargers would rally again, this time scoring eight straight points to take a 15-11 lead thanks to a pair of free throws from senior Joshua Guddemi (Nottingham, England/Derby), who finished 4-of-4 at the line for the game.
The Chargers would again hold Saint Anselm scoreless, this time for a nearly three minute stretch to take a 20-17 lead on a layup from McDaniels with 8:03 remaining before the break. The teams would trade baskets for the next four minutes before New Haven closed out the opening half with an 8-1 run to take a 34-28 lead, the largest to that point for either team, into the locker room at the break.
Coming out of the intermission, New Haven would maintain its advantage for the first eight minutes. During that stretch, Mosley would net 12 points including a three pointer and an old fashioned three point play. The lead change for the Hawks came with 11:50 remaining in the game thanks to a layup from Victor Joshua that broke a 48-48 stalemate.
New Haven would get its next lead change courtesy of two more free throws from Guddemi that provided a 56-55 lead with under 10 remaining in the game. That advantage for New Haven would prove to be the last for the Chargers with the final exchange coming nearly 30 seconds after those free throws on a jumper from McCahey.
Facing a seven point deficit with 3:32 remaining, the Chargers would get back-to-back layups from Mosley, both of which came off of Saint Anselm turnovers, pulling back within a single possession. The Hawks responded by scoring the final five points of the game putting the final margin at 76-68.
New Haven will return to Charger Gym on Wednesday as they jump back into Northeast Division play against the American International Yellow Jackets. Tip off in what is the second game of a doubleheader with the women's team is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
