WEST HAVEN, Conn. – A three point attempt at the buzzer from junior Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) rimmed out as the University of New Haven dropped a nail-bitter 71-68 to the visiting Saint Rose Golden Knights on Saturday afternoon. The weekend Northeast-10 Conference match-up also served as New Haven's "Coaching for Literacy" game, helping to raise awareness, helping to bring notice to the fight for literacy in the United States.

Leading the Chargers on the day was freshman Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who completed his second consecutive and team-leading sixth double double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Felizor's 15 points led three Chargers who finished in double figures with classmate Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) leading all scorers in the game with 20 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the three point arc.

Junior Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) joined the pair in leading the offense, matching Felizor's 15 points while completing his second double of the season with 10 assists, matching his career-high. He also finished three rebounds shy of a triple double.

As a team, New Haven finished the game shooting 46 percent on 23-of-50, including making nine of 22 attempts from beyond the three point arc for 40.9 percent. The Chargers also converted 13 of 21 trips to the free throw line. Overall, the Blue and Gold did win the battle of the boards with a 35-31 margin led by Felizor's 11, followed by Upchurch's seven.

FIRST HALF NOTES

·         The Chargers got out to a hot start right out of the gates, making seven of their first nine field goal attempts to take an early nine point, 17-8 lead. Included in those seven field goals were a pair of three pointers from Kane, tipping off what would be a perfect afternoon beyond the arc for the rookie.

·         Other than an early 2-0 deficit, the Blue and Gold held on to that early lead for 17 minutes before relinquishing the advantage to the Golden Knights. However, New Haven only allowed Saint Rose to maintain a lead a pair of possessions before a three pointer from Upchurch broke a 30-30 tie and gave the Chargers a lead they would hold on to through the intermission.

·         Overall in the first half, the Chargers were led by Kane who finished with 14 points, missing just one of six field goal attempts including making his three attempts from beyond the three point arc.

·         Following Kane in the scoring column was Felizor who finished with nine points and Upchurch who chipped in a half dozen. Of Felizor's nine first half points five came at the free throw line as he converted all but one trip to the line.

·         As a team, New Haven shot 44.4 percent from the field, converting 12-of27 attempts from the field including four three pointers. The Chargers also finished 7-of-9 at the free throw line in the opening half and held a 19-15 advantage on the boards.

SECOND HALF NOTES

·         Coming out of the break, the Golden Knights erased the Chargers slim 35-34 advantage at the half by hitting a pair of unanswered three pointer to take a 40-35 lead just 71 seconds into the action.

·         The Chargers answered by scoring the next six points for the second lead change of the half with all six points coming on layups from Felizor. All three layups for the rookie forward came off assists from different players with Upchurch, Mihailo Vasic (Novi Sad, Serbia) and Michael Bourke (South Orange, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) all dishing the rock.

·         Less than a minute after that lead change the Chargers pushed their lead to six, extending that 6-0 run to 12-1 on back-to-back three pointers from Bourke and Kane.

·         Overall, New Haven maintained that lead for the next seven minutes before a three pointer for the Golden Knights provided the third lead change of the half and the first in a string five lead changes over a two minute span.

·         After the Golden Knights held onto an advantage over the next four minutes, New haven used a three pointer from Bourke at the 3:05 mark to take a 66-65 lead. That three pointer would be the only offense for either squad for the next two minutes before Saint Rose took a one points lead with 99 seconds remaining.  

·         New Haven answered a one free throw trip for the Golden Knights with Upchurch converting on a pair of attempts at the line with 12 seconds remaining, tying the game at 68. Saint Rose answered with a three pointer from Tyler Sayre with 2.4 seconds remaining while a three point attempt from half court from Upchurch would careen off the back of the rim as the final buzzer sounded.

·         Seven different players provided scoring in the second half, led by Upchurch who finished with nine points with both of his baskets in the half form outside the arc, while going 3-of-4 at the free throw line.

·         As a team, New Haven finished the second half shooting 47.8 percent on 11-of-23, while making 5-of-9 attempts from outside the arc.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·         The double doubles for Felizor and Upchurch represent the third time this season that two players have doubled up in the same game and the first time since Felizor and Vasic combined for double doubles against Le Moyne on November 16.

·         The 10 assists for Upchurch match his career-high set previously against LIU Post on November 27 when he also combined for his first double double using points and assists.

·         Felizor's 15 points and 11 rebounds is his sixth double double of the season, passing Vasic for the team lead. It is also the 16th time this season he has led the team in rebounding.

·         The 20 points for Kane is the second time this season he has scored 20 or more in a single game, having done so previously against Saint Michael's on Jan. 24.

·         New Haven finished with a 35-31 advantage on the boards, the 15th time this season they have outrebounded their opponent, holding a 9-6 record in those contests.  

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·         Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) recorded his 2nd consecutive double double (15 pts, 11 rbds) and 6th of the season, which now leads the team.

·         Freshman Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) finished perfect from beyond the three point arc (4-of-4) leading to his second 20 point game of the season.

·         Junior Danny Upchurch (Bridgeport, Conn./Notre Dame Catholic) finished with 10 assists for the second time this season and has finished with a double double both times.

·         .@GoChargersMBB finished its 15th game of the season outrebounding its opponent, finishing with a 35-31 advantage.

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NEXT ON TAP
New Haven closes out a two-game homestand with its final non-conference game of the season, welcoming Nutmeg State rival Bridgeport to Charger Gym on Monday, February 6. Tip-off against the Purple Knights is set for 7:00 p.m.