NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) net 20 second half points to lead the University of New Haven men's basketball team to an 85-82 road win over crosstown rival Southern Connecticut on Wednesday night at Moore Field House. Overall, Bailey led three Chargers in double figures with a career-high 27 points, shooting 11-of-17 from the field with a pair of three pointers and a 3-of-4 effort at the free throw line.
With the victory, New Haven remains undefeated on the season, the only undefeated team in the NE10 Southwest Division, improving to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the NE10. The Chargers 5-0 start continues the best start to a season since the 1989-90 campaign when they opened up the year victorious in the first nine games of the season.
Joining Bailey in leading the Blue and Gold was junior forwards Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who finished with 16 and 14 points, respectively. Felizor also led the Chargers in the rebounding battle with eight boards as the two squads finished knotted at 26 apiece. Among all the leaders, Felizor led the trio from the field connecting on 4-of-7, while adding a 5-of-7 effort at the free throw line.
As a team, New Haven shot 54.7 percent from the floor with 29 field goals in 53 attempts. Among the 29 field goals, 10 came from beyond the three point arc with Kane leading that effort draining three triples. The 54.7 percent shooting effort for the Chargers is the second best effort from the field this season, while the 10 three pointers is the fourth time in five games the Chargers have hit double figures from long range.
Overall in the scoring column, all nine players who saw time in the game found the hoop with Darius Roundtree (Plainfield, N.J./The Patrick School) following the top three, finishing just shy of double figures with nine points, tying his career-high set earlier this season against LIU Post. Roundtree also shot well, connecting on 3-of-4 from the field, while closing out the game second in the rebounding battle with six boards. Freshman Kendall McMillan (Baltimore, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) came off the bench to lead the Chargers with four assists.
After the Owls opened up the game scoring the first seven points, New Haven took advantage of an off the ball foul to complete a six-point play, jumping right back into the game. Kane drained the first hoop of the night for the Chargers, hitting from deep in the corner. With that basket counting and the Blue and Gold retaining possession thanks to the Owls foul, Kane struck again from the same spot to make it a 7-6 game.
The first four baskets from New Haven all came from outside the arc with Ross Jones, II converting the next two before the Owls used a 14-5 rally to break open a double digit lead. That two-figure advantage was short lived as the Chargers responded by scoring 12 of the next 16 points to pull within three thanks to a three pointer from Felizor with seven minutes remaining.
Just over two minutes later a jumper from Kendall McMillan (Baltimore, Md./Mount Saint Joseph), which was the second of back-to-back buckets with the first a layup from Darius Roundtree (Plainfield, N.J./The Patrick School), provided the first lead for New Haven at 33-31 with 5:01 to play in the half.
Despite the Owls opening up a six-point lead in the final five minutes, the Chargers tied the score with 47 seconds remaining before the intermission on a three pointer from Kian Dalyrimple (Dix Hills, N.Y.). However, SCSU would take a three-point advantage into the locker room courtesy of a three pointer with five seconds remaining.
Coming out of the break, Southern Connecticut extended its lead back to eight just under three minutes into the action. The lead for the Owls would hover between four and seven points until the midpoint mark in the second half when a layup from Bailey ended a 6-0 run for the Chargers with a one-point deficit, 65-64.
The two squads would trade hoops over the next few minutes before Bailey struck again, this time with a two-handed slam at the 7:35 mark that resulted in a 72-72 tie and forced a Southern Connecticut timeout. Following that break, the Owls could only muster a single free throw before a three pointer from Bailey gave the Blue and Gold a 77-76 lead.
After the Owls answered right back with a three pointer of their own, the Chargers managed a mini 4-0 run that resulted in a 79-76 lead, one they wouldn't relinquish over the final 4:25 of the contest. That three pointer from Southern Connecticut was their only bucket until the final 35 seconds, which allowed the Chargers to pull ahead by as much as six, 84-78 with 45 seconds remaining.
Southern Connecticut did have an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds on a three pointer from Isaiah McLeod which was off the mark as Bailey pulled down the board and remained untouched as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
New Haven will return to the hardwood on Saturday for a second-straight road NE10 game when they take on the Saint Rose Golden Knights. Tip-off in the Southwest Division match-up is slated for 3:30 p.m. following the women's game. Fans who are unable to attend the game can follow all the action live on NE10 Now or follow along with live stats.
