WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The New Haven women's basketball team held off a late surge from crosstown rival Southern Connecticut to claim a 52-48 win on Wednesday at Charger Gymnasium. Freshman Aurora Deshaies (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) picked up her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Junior Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) also scored in double figures with 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high four assists. Sydney Richard (Hooksett, N.H./Bradford Christian Academy), Jasmine White (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and Bionca Chambers (Bronx, N.Y./New Milford) scored six points apiece, with Chambers adding three assists and White chipping in a pair of assists and one steal. Sophomore Camryn DeBose (Wellington, Fla./Wellington Community) tied her career-high with 11 rebounds.

The Chargers finished the game shooting 36.5 percent from the floor, including their best night of the season from beyond the arc, where they shot an even 40 percent (6-for-15). New Haven (5-1, 2-1 NE10) dominated the Owls (4-3, 0-2 NE10) on the glass, 49-26, and held a 20-8 advantage in the paint.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH: Debbie Buff

• "We played with energy and locked down on defense to hold them to 48 points. We shot well from the arc and were better tonight from the foul line, but we need to start taking better care of the ball. Our bench gave us great minutes and it's great to start 5-1."

 
FIRST QUARTER

• New Haven scored nine of the game's first 11 points, helped by a Pergola three-pointer.
• Pergola then fed Deshaies for a layup after a turnover to make it 9-4 New Haven at the 3:07 mark.

SECOND QUARTER

• Deshaies, White and Chambers all nailed jumpers to open the second quarter and help build the New Haven lead to 18-9 just over one minute into the period.
• A 7-0 run with a three-pointer by Chambers, a layup from Deshaies and a Kim Talley (Quakertown, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) jumper grew the lead to a game-high 14 points with 1:42 left until halftime.
• New Haven capped the half with a Deshaies layup from Pergola at the buzzer to carry a 28-16 lead into the locker room.
• The Chargers shot a game-high 53.8 percent in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

• Southern started the second half with an 11-3 run to get back within 31-27 midway through the quarter.
• Richard broke the spell with a three-pointer, and White and Deshaies followed a Southern hoop with back-to-back buckets to build the lead back to nine, 38-29 with under a minute remaining.
• A SCSU three by Jessica Fressle made the score 38-32 entering the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Richard's second three of the half grew the lead back to seven early before the Owls cut the deficit down to two twice, then used a triple to get within 46-45 with 2:40 remaining.
• Southern tied the score 46-46 just 13 seconds later with a free throw.
• Camryn DeBose (Wellington, Fla./Wellington Community) broke the draw with a big defensive board, then took it coast-to-coast for a layup to put New Haven up for good, 48-46.
• The Chargers connected on four of their six free throw attempts over the final 47 seconds, and held SCSU without a field goal over the final 2:40 for the four-point win.

The Chargers will play at home for the sixth time in seven games to start the season on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. when they host the College of Saint Rose.