GAME DAY INFORMATION   DATE: December 7, 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
New Haven will host a second-straight Northeast-10 Southwest Division opponent on Saturday when they welcome Saint Rose to Charger Gym. The Chargers look to snap a five-game skid and pick up their first win in NE10 action against the Golden Knights.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• New Haven and Saint Rose meet for the 25th time in the history of the two programs.
• Overall, the Golden Knights hold a 16-8 advantage in the first 24 meetings, dating back to December 2, 1990 when New Haven opened the series with a 108-101 road win.
• Under 10th-year head coach Ted Hotaling, the Chargers are 5-13 against Saint Rose.
• Last season, New Haven broke a five-game skid against the Golden Knights in the second game of the home-and-home divisional series.
• Overall since joining the Northeast-10 (2008-09), New Haven is 6-15 against the Golden Knights.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
The Chargers have seen a balanced attack from four of its five starters through the first six games of the season. Leading the way is senior Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) who is averaging 17.0 points per game and is the only player to score 30+ this season setting a season-high of 31 last time out against Southern Connecticut. Following Bailey is redshirt junior Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) and senior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who are each averaging 10.8 points per game. Felizor also broke the 20 point plateau last time out against Southern Connecticut when he finished one shy of a career-high with 21 points against the Owls. Additionally, Felizor leads the teams rebounding efforts with an average of 7.3 per game, while Rowland has dished out a team-high 24 assists.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Similar to the Chargers, Saint Rose enters the weekend match-up in West Haven searching for its first NE10 win of the season, dropping its last three matches to Adelphi, Le Moyne and Pace. Individually, the Golden Knights are led by sophomore forward Sekou Sylla whose 20.9 points per game average is third highest in the NE10. All of Sylla's scoring comes from inside the three-point arc as the post player is connecting on 58.2 percent of his attempts (71-of-122), while he also leads the team in rebounding pulling down an average of 11.1 rebounds per contest. Following him in leading the offense is junior guard Adam Anderson who averages 13.9 ppg. 

UP NEXT
The Chargers will continue NE10 Southwest Division action when they return to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Springfield for a date with the American International Yellow Jackets. Opening tip from Butova Gymnasium is slated for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game.

LAST TIME THEY MET
The Chargers led end-to-end as they picked up their second straight victory, knocking off Saint Rose 73-54. Leading the Blue and Gold was Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) who finished with 15 points, one of three players in double figures. Joining him in leading the offense was Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) and Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) who each chipped in 14 points. Overall, eight different players added to the offense with Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) and Quashawn Lane (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic Academy) each adding to the tally with eight points apiece. Individually, New Haven's shooting success came from Kane whose 14 points came on a 50 percent performance, connecting on half of his 10 field goal attempts. He also led the Blue and Gold's rebounding efforts, hauling in eight boards, part of 35 total for the team. As a team, the Chargers closed out the game shooting 41.7 percent overall, connecting on 25-of-60 field goal attempts. Eight of the 25 field goals came from outside the arc, while New Haven earned 15 points (in 18 attempts) at the free throw line.

LAST TIME OUT
A three pointer to tie the game at the buzzer went off the fingertips of a defender as the Chargers dropped a 74-71 decision to crosstown rival Southern Connecticut. Leading the Blue and Gold on the night were a pair of seniors, Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown). Bailey led all scorers in the game with the first 30+ performance of the season for a New Haven player, closing out the contest with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 6-of-10 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. Felizor completed the first double double of the season for New Haven as he put up 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, playing the full 40 minutes. Rounding out the leading scorers for New Haven was freshman Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) who finished with a career-high 11 points, including 3-of-6 from beyond the three point arc. Overall, New Haven finished the game shooting 41.1 percent from the field, connecting on 23-of-56 field goal attempts. Among the 23 made field goals were nine three pointers, while the Chargers converted 16-of-19 free throw attempts for an 84.2 percent average. All 71 points for New Haven came from their starting five.

HONOR ROLL
In addition to its Player and Rookie of the Week awards, the Northeast-10 Conference also doles out Honor Roll accolades to some of the best performances from the week prior. So far this season, Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) is the long Charger to earn the distinction. His honor came after opening NE10 play with a 20-point performance against Le Moyne.
2019-20 NE10 Honor Roll Recipients
Nov. 25 :: Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School)

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. Through the first six games, the Chargers have converted 60 three pointers, if they were to maintain their current average for the remainder of the regular season the Chargers would stand at 260 three pointers made. 

TIGHTENING THE BELT
In the Chargers last game, head coach Ted Hotaling may have hit the point in the season where he has tightened the belt on his rotation, relying on just seven players total against the Owls. Additionally, all 71 of the Chargers points against their crosstown rival Owls came from their starting five, with a pair of players on the court the entire 40 minutes: redshirt junior Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) and senior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown).

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 23 points shy of passing Jeffrey Adkins (2010-14) for 20th all-time, and needs just 14 points to hit the next century mark of 1,300 career points.

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)
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 to 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.