SPARKILL, N.Y. – Four Chargers finished in double figures as the University of New Haven men's basketball team opened up its 2016-17 campaign with an 80-71 win over Mercy College on day one of the Saint Thomas Aquinas Tip-Off Classic on Friday night. Sophomore guard Michael Bourke (South Orange, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) led all New Haven scorers with 18 points while a pair of new faces in the Chargers arsenal secured double doubles.
Joining Bourke in double figures was junior transfer Mihailo Vasic (Novi Sad, Serbia) (15), freshman Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) (14) and junior transfer Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) (13). Felizor also led the Blue and Gold with 14 rebounds, while Upchurch dished out a game-best eight assists, the most by a Charger since January 13, 2015 when Eric Anderson dished out eight against Saint Michael's
The 14 rebounds for Felizor is also the most for a New Haven player since the 2014-15 season, while he was joined in double figures by Vasic who pulled in 10 boards, with both recording their first double doubles in a Charger uniform. Overall, New Haven finished with a 46-29 advantage on the boards with all but one of New Haven's 10 players grabbing at least one rebound.
The Chargers closed out the season-opening victory shooting an impressive 52.5 percent from the field, connecting on 32 of their 61 shot attempts. Seven of those 32 field goals came from beyond the three point arc, including a game-best four from Bourke.
FIRST HALF NOTES
· New Haven's largest deficit came on the opening basket of the game when Mercy's Kelvin Howard dropped a three pointer 45 seconds into the action. The Chargers responded by going on a 7-2 run that led to the first lead change of the day when a jumper from Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) provided the first lead of the game for the Blue and Gold, 7-5.
· The lead would change eight more times before the Chargers took the lead for good with 6:34 remaining in the opening half on a layup from Najee Larcher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian).
· That basket sparked a streak of 10 unanswered points for New Haven as they quickly opened up a 35-26 lead, with all 10 points coming as just 1:39 expired on the game clock.
· Despite being held to just two buckets in the final 4:55 of the first half, The Chargers took a 40-36 advantage into the locker room thanks to a tip-in by Darius Roundtree (Plainfield, N.J./The Patrick School) that provided the final margin.
· Leading the Chargers in the first half Bourke and Felizor who each finished with 11 points. The pair missed just one field goal attempt a piece, with Bourke closing out the first 20 minutes perfect from beyond the arc in three attempts.
· As a team, New Haven finished the first half shooting 56.7 percent, making 17 of their 30 attempts. The Chargers also held a 25-12 advantage on the boards in the first half with Vasic leading the way with seven.
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS
· New Haven came out of the break and scored the first second points in the second half, making three of their first five field goal attempts. A three pointer from Upchurch with 17:28 to play provided the first double digit lead of the day at 47-36.
· Three pointers would continue to provide a mid-range double digit lead for the Chargers with one from Roundtree netting a 55-40 lead and another from Bourke providing a 60-46 advantage with 11:58 remaining.
· After facing a stretch where the only point came on a free throw and Mercy pulled within six, the Chargers used their longest rally of the day, 11-straight points that provided the largest lead of game, a 72-55 advantage with 4:08 remaining.
· Free throws down the stretch helped secure the Chargers season opening victory as they made four of the final six, all within the final 35 seconds of the game.
· Upchurch closed out the night leading the team over the final 20 minutes, finishing with 12 points on a 50-percent shooting effort, 4-of-8. He was joined in scoring double figures in the second half by Vasic who chipped in 10 points.
· New Haven again closed out the half with a rebounding edge, 21-17, led by Fellizor who pulled down nine boards, including five on the offensive end of the floor.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
· New Haven's nine fresh faces provided 71 percent of the offense in the season opener with just 23 points coming from the five returning players from last season's squad – 18 from Bourke and five from Larcher.
· The 52.5 percent shooting performance by New Haven is the highest team shooting average since February 14, 2015 when the Blue and Gold shot 52.6 percent against Pace.
· The eight assists by Upchurch is the most for a New Haven player since January 13, 2015 when Eric Anderson dished out eight against Saint Michael's Anderson was also the last player to dish out 10 or more when he did so in that same season against Saint Anselm (Dec. 31).
TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)
· A pair of @GoChargersMBB newcomers secured their 1st double doubles in a Charger uniform – Felizor (14 pts/14 reb) & Vasic (15 pts/10 reb)
· The eight assists for @GoChargersMBB JR transfer Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) is the most by a player since Jan. 2015
· Bourke's team-leading 18 pts for @GoChargersMBB is his 17th career game in double figures and the 8th time he has led the team in scoring
NEXT ON TAP
The Chargers close out the STAC Tip-Off Classic on Saturday night when they take on the host Spartans. Opening tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Aquinas Hall.
