BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – The University of New Haven men's basketball team (6-4) broke a four-game skid and closed out the 2018 portion of its schedule with a 77-61 win at the CACC's Bloomfield Bears on Sunday afternoon. Leading the Blue and Gold was junior guard Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) who finished with 25 points, his fourth game of the season with 20-plus in the scoring column and third time with 25 or more.
Overall, Bailey was one of four players in double figures, all among the starting-five for the Chargers. Following him was classmate Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) who finished with 15 points, leading all the top scorers from the field, connecting on 6-of-8 (75%) field goal attempts. Among his six field goals were a pair of three pointers. Rounding out the leading scorers was junior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) with 15 points and redshirt sophomore Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) with 10 points.
As a team, the Chargers shot 52.7 percent, while holding the Bears to just 38.6 percent defensively. New Haven also forced Bloomfield into 17 turnovers, while limiting them to just four field goals from beyond the three point arc, in 20 attempts. Additionally on defense, the Chargers held a team that entered with six different players averaging in double figures to just two. Overall, New Haven connected on 29-of-55 attempts, with 11 of those buckets from long range, the only time in the month of December the Chargers have hit from downtown more than 10 times.
In addition to Kane's individual shooting success, Bailey finished the matinee shooting 50 percent from the floor, connecting on 9-of-18, with four of those nine field goals counting for three points apiece. Rounding out the leading scorers was Felizor who shot 55.6 percent (5-of-9). Freshman Quashawn Lane (Trenton, N.J. /Trenton Catholic Academy) closed out the starting five with seven points, finishing out the game a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. Overall, New Haven's starters accounted for all but seven of the 77 points in the contest.
New Haven also held a 35-31 advantage in the battle of the boards with Bailey also leading the team in that category, securing eight rebounds, the second straight game he has led the team in scoring and rebounding, with the later of those numbers a career-high.
After Bailey secured the first points of the afternoon on a jumper just 34 seconds into the action, New Haven never trailed the remainder of the contest. The Bears would answer that opening bucket before Kane hit the first from outside the arc. After the Bears first three pointer cut the lead to a single point, the Chargers began what would amount to a 15-0 run and the first double digit lead of the afternoon.
The first three buckets in the rally all came from outside the three point arc in consecutive order from Kane, Bailey and Lane. Overall, four different players scored in the run including four points from senior Najee Larcher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) who closed out the rally with a pair of free throws that pushed New Haven ahead by a 23-7 margin.
Late in the half, the Chargers used another rally, this time scoring eight unanswered points to take the first 20-point lead of the contest at 40-19 with that coming courtesy of a three pointer from Rowland. Overall, New Haven took a 42-25 advantage into the break, despite not mustering bucket over the final two minutes in the period.
Coming out of the intermission, the Bears would strike first, but New Haven hadn't cooled off during the break, answering that opening bucket with eight straight points to regain a 20-point advantage at 50-27. The first two baskets in the rally came from outside the arc as Bailey and Rowland each added to their tally from long range.
The Bears were never able to muster more than back-to-back baskets for much of the second half until late in the contest when a 10-2 run managed to pull the home team as close as they would get down the stretch, a 12 point deficit (68-56). New Haven answered that run with confidence, netting the next six points to put the game out of reach for Bloomfield.
New Haven will next return to the hardwood in the New Year when they travel south on I-95 for a second-straight road trip, traveling to Dominican College Chargers on Wednesday, January 2. The battle of the Chargers will be renewed for just the second time in the history of the two programs with New Haven coming away with the victory (73-66) the first time they met in 2012-13. Fans who are unable to attend the game can follow the action online with live video and live stat links available on NewHavenChargers.com.
