GAME DAY INFORMATION   DATE: November 23, 2019 LOCATION: Charger Gym | West Haven, Conn.   GAME DAY LINKS   LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

NEWS NEWS ROSTER ROSTER SCHEDULE SCHEDULE STATS STATS GAME NOTES

THE FIRST LOOK
The Chargers and Dolphins meet in a pair of firsts for New Haven, the first home game in 2019-20 and the first NE10 game of the season. New Haven looks to remain unbeaten on the season after opening the year with a 30-point rout of Concordia on Monday. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• New Haven and Le Moyne meet for the 37th time in the history of the two programs.
• Overall, the Dolphins hold a 22-14 advantage in the first 36 meetings, dating back to 1983-84 when New Haven opened the series with a 52-50 home win.
• Under 10-year head coach Ted Hotaling, the Dolphins an 11-8 advantage following a sweep of the home-and-home series last season
• Overall since joining the Northeast-10 (2008-09), New Haven is 8-14 against the Dolphins.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
While most teams have played a handful of games this season, New Haven has just one game under its belt prior to opening NE10 action against the Dolphins. In their season opener, the Chargers posted a 30-point victory, shooting 48 percent from the field, while turning the ball over just 10 times. On the flip side, New Haven forced 20 turnovers from the Clippers, turning those miscues into 29 points while surrendering just two points off of turnovers. The Chargers also opened up the season surpassing their average for three-pointers-per-game last year, hitting nine long range buckets, taking 33 attempts from beyond the arc, more than half of their total field goal attempts. Additionally, the Chargers dished out 20 assists on their 31 field goals made, eight more than their assist-per-game average a year ago.

SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS
Le Moyne enters its NE10 opener looking to break a two-game skid following losses to Indiana (Pa.) and Daemen. Overall for the season, the Dolphins have one win in their first four games with that only victory coming against Chestnut Hill when they rallied for 123 points. Taking that offensive outburst out of the equation, the Dolphins are averaging 72 points per game with junior guard Tim Leavell leading the team with an average of 18.3 points per game which has come in 20.5 minutes of action as Leavell has come off the bench in all four games thus far.  

CHARGERS IN NE10 OPENERS
In the 11 years since New Haven joined the Northeast-10 Conference, the Chargers hold a 4-7 record in their league opener. The Blue and Gold dropped its first three conference openers, with the initial win in an NE10 opener coming in 2011-12 against Saint Rose. Despite the overall record, the Chargers are riding a streak of three-straight wins in conference openers, defeating Le Moyne in 2016-17 and Adelphi in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

UP NEXT
New Haven begins a three game week on Tuesday night when they continue NE10 play with a visit to Pace. Opening tip against the Setters is set for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game. Following that match-up, the Chargers will board a plane and head south for two games in the Sunshine State as part of the Terrace Hotel Thanksgiving Classic beginning on Friday, November 29.

LAST TIME THEY MET
Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) scored a game-high 19 points to lead the men's basketball team as they dropped their regular season finale to Le Moyne 57-56. Rowland was one of three players to finish in double figures joined by Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) who closed out the night with a dozen and Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) who kept his double digit scoring streak alive at 18-straight games with 10 points. As a team, New Haven shot 50 percent for the night, connecting on 24-of-48 field goal attempts. Included in the 24 field goals were just three from outside the three point arc, a season-low for the Blue and Gold. Individually, the Chargers were led by Rowland who proved to be the hot hand of the evening, connecting on 9-of-11 from the field, while also dishing out a team-high four assists. The Dolphins also took a slim victory in the battle of the boards with a 28-27 margin, while Kane led New Haven's efforts with six boards. Defensively, New Haven held the Dolphins to just 39.6 percent shooting (21-of-53).

LAST TIME OUT
Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) knocked down a game-high 16 points as men's basketball cruised to an 85-55 victory over Concordia College. Rowland, who finished with a team-high four three pointers, added four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Overall, Rowland was one of three Chargers in double-figures in the season opener, joined by Antonio Lopez (Medford, N.Y./St. Anthony's), who saw his first collegiate minutes and finished with 13 points and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who dropped in 12 points. Lopez finished the game 4-of-5 from the field while adding four free throws to go along with four boards and two assists. Felizor finished the game 5-of-8 from the field with a pair of three pointers, while adding a team-high six rebounds and an assist. Quashawn Lane (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic Academy) finished with nine points while dishing out a game-high seven dimes and pulled down four rebounds and picked off two steals. Rounding out the leading scorers was Ross Jones II (Edgewood, Md./Friends School) who matched Lane with nine points. Overall, 10 different players scored at least one field goal on the night.

THREE POINT THREAT
With the return of the top two three point shooters from a season ago, New Haven is poised to build on the momentum of a school record 267 three point field goals last season. It was the second straight year the Chargers hit a school record from long range as they did so with 239 during the 2017-18 campaign. Leading New Haven into the new season will be Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) (68) and Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) (66) who combined for half of the total three pointers from last season. The biggest loss from outside the arc comes in the form of Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) who finished with 46 three pointers. In its first game, New Haven dropped in nine three pointers, if they were to maintain that average for the remainder of the regular season the Chargers would stand at 234 three pointers made. 

EARNING RESPECT
Last season's late run that ended in the NCAA Division II East Regional semifinals has put the Chargers on the national radar in 2019-20 as they opened the year receiving votes in both the NABC and D2SIDA national polls. In the coaches' poll, the Chargers received 17 votes and were one of three NE10 teams represented. In the media poll, New Haven scored 21 votes, falling three spots shy of reaching the top-25.

MOVIN' ON UP
Senior Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) became the 35th player in program history to hit the 1,000 career point plateau as part of a career-high 32-point night against crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University on February 6, 2019. After opening the season rounding out the top 25 on the career scoring list, Bailey will continue to quickly ascend the ranks. He currently stands 14 points shy of passing Keith Wright (2000-04) for 24th all-time, and less than 60 points shy of moving up three spots to 22nd which is currently being held by Jamaal Brooks (1,248 pts, 2001-05).

LITERACY MATTERS
For the fourth straight season, the New Haven men's basketball team will partner with Coaching for Literacy to promote the #Fight4Literacy initiative on February 1 when they host Franklin Pierce. New Haven remains the only Division II program to partner with Coaching for Literacy, a program whose goal is to promote childhood reading in local communities. In addition to raising awareness on February 1, the Chargers will offer a special admission opportunity that afternoon-Any fan who brings a new or gently used book to the game will receive complimentary admission. All books collected will then be donated to the West Haven Read to Grow program.

FUTURE FOAL
Tenth year head coach Ted Hotaling announced the commitment of one player during the early signing period in November, a 6-2 forward out of Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, N.J., Jordan Price. As a junior last season, Price averaged 14.6 points per game, while pulling down 6.8 rebounds per game. Among his highlights last year was a 30-point outing versus Christian Brothers on February 9, while he also posted a 23 point, eight rebound and six block performance against Plainfield on January 15.

PRESEASON PROPS
After being picked second in the previous two seasons, New Haven was the unanimous pick to win the Southwest Division in the Northeast-10 as predicted by a tally of the league's head coaches. New Haven registered 91 points in the poll, the most among all 14 teams in the league. The reigning NCAA East Region Champion Saint Anselm was picked to finish first in the Northeast Division earning five of the 14 possible first place votes, while Stonehill matched the five first place votes but finished second in the overall vote tally.
2019-20 NE10 Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
Northeast Division:
1. Saint Anselm - 78 (5)
2. Stonehill - 72 (5)
3. Bentley – 62 (1)
t-4. Franklin Pierce – 60 (3)
t-4. Southern New Hampshire – 60
6. Assumption – 33
7. Saint Michael's - 20 
Southwest Division:
1. New Haven - 91 (13)
2. Adelphi - 69 (1)
3. Southern Connecticut – 61
4. Pace – 53
5. Le Moyne – 51
6. Saint Rose – 36
7. American International - 24

THE SCHEDULE
"Our goal each year is play a competitive non-league schedule to prepare us for the Northeast-10, one of the toughest leagues in the country," said head coach Ted Hotaling. "We have accomplished that again this season with games against teams both inside and outside of the East Region."

• The New Haven men's basketball schedule consists of 26 total dates.
• The Chargers open up the season with a big test, playing four of their first five games away from the friendly confines of Charger Gymnasium. Included is a trip to the Sunshine State to compete in the Terrace Hotel Thanksgiving Classic against perennial Sunshine State Conference power Florida Southern, and Saint Leo.
• Among the 13 Northeast-10 Conference opponents, the Chargers will play their six divisional opponents twice; Adelphi, Southern Connecticut State, Saint Rose, Pace, Le Moyne and American International.
• New Haven will play seven non-conference games including Concordia (N.Y.), Florida Southern, Saint Leo, Holy Family, Jefferson, Saint Thomas Aquinas and a season-ending match-up with Molloy.