GAME DAY INFORMATION   DATE: January 8, 2020 LOCATION: Aquinas Hall | Sparkill, N.Y.   GAME DAY LINKS   LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

NEWS NEWS ROSTER ROSTER SCHEDULE SCHEDULE STATS STATS GAME NOTES

THE FIRST LOOK
New Haven looks for its first win of the 2020 calendar year when they travel to Sparkill, N.Y. for a date with the ECC's STAC Spartans. STAC enters the match-up as the top ranked team in the D2CCA East Region Poll while New Haven looks to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Jefferson and Adelphi.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• New Haven and Saint Thomas Aquinas meet for the 22nd time in the history of the two programs.
• The Spartans hold a slim 11-10 advantage in the first 21 meetings.
• Last season, New Haven broke up a two-game win streak in favor of the Spartans with a 79-56 decision at Charger Gym.
• Among the Chargers 10 victories is a series of four-straight wins which spanned the 2001-02 thru 2003-04 season, including a pair of match-ups during the 2002-03 campaign.
• Prior to last season, New Haven's most recent victory against STAC came prior to the tenure of current head coach Ted Hotaling, a 75-69 victory in the first of two meetings in 2007-08. 
   

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
The Chargers have relied on the returning experience of seniors Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) and redshirt junior Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) who combined have provided over 64% of the overall scoring for the season. Leading the way is Bailey who is averaging 18.8 points per game and scored 20+ in five straight that spanned the end of November up to the holiday break, increasing his average in that stretch alone to 27.0 ppg. Included in that five-game stretch for Bailey was a season-high 31 points against Southern Connecticut. Felizor, who is second on the team at 13.2 ppg, is averaging a double double over his last six games, putting up 16.8 ppg and pulling down 11.3 rpg in that stretch. Rounding out the three leaders is Rowland who adds 12.5 points per game while leading the team with 56 assists including a career-high 10 against Holy Family. Rowland also set a career-high when he dropped in 32 points, the most for any player this season, in the road loss at Adelphi which opened up the 2020 portion of the schedule. 

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Winners of its last two, STAC enters Wednesday night's non-conference battle looking to remain unbeaten against the NE10 with wins over Stonehill, Adelphi and Saint Rose. The Spartans, who are the top ranked team in the East Region according to the D2CCA Poll, are averaging just shy of nine points more than their opponents. Overall for the season, senior guard Sekou Cisse leads STAC with an average of 15.2 points per game, one of three players to average in double figures. Following him in the scoring column are a pair of sophomores, forward Osbel Caraballo (14.8 ppg) and guard Demetre Roberts (14.6 ppg). As a team, the majority of the Spartans scoring comes from its inside game with an average of just 7.1 three pointers per game as a team.

UP NEXT
New Haven will close out a four-game road stretch with the first of seven straight games against the NE10 Northeast Division when they travel to Colchester, Vt. for a date with the Saint Michael's Purple Knights. Opening tip in the cross-divisional battle is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. following the women's game.

LAST TIME THEY MET
Four starters in double figures and a 51 percent shooting effort lifted the Chargers to a 76-59 win over No. 17/18 Saint Thomas Aquinas. Leading the Blue and Gold on the afternoon was Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) who compiled his fourth 25+ point game, shooting 9-of-14 from the field including a pair of three pointers and a 5-of-6 performance at the free throw line. Bailey was one of four players to finish in double figures, all among the starting five. Joining him was Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) who closed out the game with 13 points and nine boards. Additionally, Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) chipped in a dozen points and Roy Kane, Jr. (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) followed with 10 points. Rowland also led New Haven with five assists, part of 14 total among the 26 total field goals. Defensively, New Haven held STAC 22 points under its 81.4 points per game average, while the win broke a six-game win streak and was just the second loss of the season for the Spartans. Additionally, New Haven held STAC to 37.7 percent shooting, including just 31.6 percent from outside the arc.

LAST TIME OUT
Redshirt sophomore Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) scored a career-high 32 points as the Chargers came up short in a 94-91 overtime decision at Adelphi. Rowland's career-high came on a 12-for-15 shooting performance from the floor, including a 6-for-7 effort from three-point range. He also added a team-best six assists. Junior Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) added 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting and four three-pointers, while freshman Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) rounded out the leading scorers with 13 points. Senior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) chipped in eight points to go along with a game-high 15 rebounds, and D'Nathan Knox (Wheatley Heights, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) scored a career-high nine points on 4-of-6 from the field. New Haven shot a season-high 58.2 percent (32-for-55) from the floor and topped the 50 percent mark from three-point range for the first time this season at an even 60 percent (15-for-25).

BRING OUT THE BROOMS
Senior Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) and Freshman Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) capped off a 2-0 week sweeping the NE10 Weekly awards. Bailey earns the second NE10 Player of the Week accolade of his career, while Thomas is the first Charger to earn Rookie of the Week honors since Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech) earned the distinction on February 19, 2018. That date also marks the last time the Chargers swept the weekly honors with Rowland joined by then senior Danny Upchurch who earned Player of the Week honors. Bailey closed out last week averaging 25 points on 18-of-24 field goal attempts with eight of those buckets from outside the three point arc. Bailey also hauled in 15 boards including his first career double double with a career-high 10 rebounds against Holy Family. Thomas capped off his weekly performance with a pair of career highs on Sunday afternoon against Holy Family when he scored 18 points and dished out six assists.

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) and Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) have each earned the honor twice.
2019-20 NE10 Honor Roll Recipients
Nov. 25 :: Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School)
Dec. 09 :: Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School)
Dec. 09 :: Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown)
Dec. 16 :: Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown)
Jan. 6 :: Derrick Rowland (Cohoes, N.Y./Green Tech)

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 11 games, the Chargers have converted 106 three pointers, if they were to maintain their current average for the remainder of the regular season the Chargers would stand at 250 three pointers made. 

TIGHTENING THE BELT
Since returning from the Sunshine State, 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 in a three-game stretch against SCSU, Saint Rose and AIC. Additionally, all 71 points against SCSU and all 65 points against American International came from the starting five, while at least two players have played the entire 40 minutes in each of the last seven outings.

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 18 points shy of passing Willie Mintz (1978-82) for 14th all-time and then has his eye on lucky number 13 which is currently held by Eric Anderson (Newark, N.J./Newark Tech) (2011-15) with 1,551 points.

MILESTONE MAN
Senior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) is on par to become the first player since Eric Anderson (Newark, N.J./Newark Tech) (2011-15) to enter a pair of prestigious lists at New Haven; the 500 Rebound and 1,000 Point clubs. Last season, Felizor broke into the 500 rebound club and has since moved up to 17th all-time. In the hunt for 1,000, Felizor currently stands 127 points shy of breaking the plateau, where he would become the 36th player to do so. Upon completing that feat, Felizor would be the 18th player all-time to join both the 500 rebound and 1,000 point club.

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
Senior Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y./The Hotchkiss School) entered another top-10 in program history in the early part of the season when he broke in among the top three point shooters at New Haven. He currently stands eighth in program history in three pointers made with 171 and with just nine more would break into the top-five all-time. Extended beyond that, Bailey has the ability to close out his career third all-time in three pointers made which is currently held by both Alberto Alberdi (1998-03) and Gary Battle (1987-91) who each had 190 three pointers to their credit.

DOUBLE DIPPING
Senior Kessly Felizor (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) has flown a bit under the radar the last few games, but in doing so he has compiled a double double in four of the last six outings. In that same stretch, the senior post player is averaging a double double with 16.8 ppg and 11.3 rebounds per game, while shooting an impressive 63.9 percent in that same stretch (39-of-61). In addition to that, Felizor has picked off a team-best 11 steals over the last five games and dished out seven assists over the last two outings.

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 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.