WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Senior Samir McDaniels (Roxbury, Mass./New Mission) and sophomore Tommy Hunt (Smithfield, R.I./St. Andrew's) each drained a pair of threes in the final minutes, while both also hit clutch free throws down the stretch to help lead the University of New Haven men's basketball team to a 61-59 win over Pace on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Chargers improve to 8-17 overall and 5-14 in the Northeast-10.
McDaniels would close out the day leading the Chargers with 14 points while also completing his second double double of the season, the only of the year for New Haven. Overall, McDaniels led four Chargers in double figures with classmate Joshua Guddemi (Nottingham, England/Derby) adding 12 and junior Jemal Mosley (Spring Valley, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep / Putnam Science Academy) and redshirt freshman Michael Bourke (South Orange, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) each finishing with 11. Rounding out the starting five was Hunt who finished with nine points, while just two players off the bench contributed in the scoring column with Levy Gillespie (Meriden, Conn./Capital Preparatory Magnet) and Ben Vezele (Providence, R.I./Wilbraham & Monson Academy) each adding two points.
As a team, New Haven finished the game shooting 46.3 percent making 19 field goals in 41 attempts. Six of the Chargers 19 total field goals came from beyond the arc, with Bourke leading in that category as all three of his made field goals in the game came from long range. New Haven also finished 17-of-29 at the free throw line.
McDaniels 10 rebounds were part of 34 total for the game as all but one Charger grabbed at least one rebound. This is also the fourth game this season that he has pulled down 10 or more.
After Pace opened the game with the first bucket of the afternoon, New Haven would go on an 11-0 run to gain an early nine point lead, an advantage they wouldn't relinquish until the five minute mark in the second half. That opening run featured back-to-back three pointers from Bourke, while Mosley contributed the remaining five points.
The Setters would get as close as one on a pair of occasions, the latter of which came with 8:40 remaining before intermission. New Haven responded by scoring nine straight points and 12 of the next 13 to gain the first double digit lead of the game at 29-18 thanks to a layup from McDaniels.
New Haven kept its advantage in double figure the remainder of the half, taking a 32-22 advantage into the locker room at the break. Leading the way in the opening half was Mosley who chipped in 11 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting and 3-of-5 at the line.
The Chargers opened the second half with the first points on a layup from McDaniels thanks to a feed from Mosley. After trading baskets for the next six-plus minutes, the Setters began to pick away at the New Haven lead, pulling it within four with 10:38 remaining thanks to a three pointer from Ryan Peterson.
Guddemi responded to that lead with a three pointer of his own as the teams again exchanged buckets, this time for a three minute stretch. Following a 49-42 lead for the Chargers, New Haven went cold from the field for approximately seven minutes. Hunt ended that drought with his first three pointer of the game, the first of back-to-back long range buckets by him and McDaniels that erased a three point deficit and resulted in a 56-53 lead that would hold up.
Following those three pointers, New Haven would secure the game at the free throw line with McDaniels going 3-of-3 and Hunt making 2-of-3 as both were fouled behind the arc. With today's win, New Haven can now secure a postseason berth with a win against Le Moyne on Tuesday night, coupled with a loss by Pace at Southern Connecticut on Tuesday.
New Haven will conclude the regular season on Tuesday, February 23 when they host the Le Moyne Dolphins, looking to avenge a season-opening loss to the divisional foe. Tip off against the Dolphins is slated for 7:30 p.m. Prior to the game, the Chargers will honor seniors Joshua Guddemi (Nottingham, England/Derby) and Samir McDaniels (Roxbury, Mass./New Mission) in a Senior Day ceremony. Complete coverage of Charger men's basketball can be found at www.NewHavenChargers.com.
