GAME DAY INFORMATION DATE: November 30, 2022 LOCATION: Henry A. Butova Gymansium, Springfield, Mass. GAME DAY LINKS LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

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Lead
The University of New Haven men's basketball traveled to Pennsylvania on Saturday where they fell to the #3 Indiana (Pa.) Crimson Hawks, 60-65. It was their first non-conference opponent of the season as well as their first regular season game against a nationally ranked opponent since they defeated the #17/18 Bentley Falcons, 72-42, in the 2019-20 season. Now with a 2-2 record, the Chargers look to get back in the win column in a mid-week matchup against American International to close out their extended road trip. Tip-off for the fifth game of the season is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium on Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Inside the Series 
In the long standing history between these two programs, it has been about as even as could be. In what will be the 62nd meeting of New Haven and AIC, the Chargers hold the slight lead in the series, 31-30. New Haven won eight straight games between the 2016-17 season and 2021-22 season, however, the Yellow Jackets bested the Chargers, 62-67, when they last met on Jan. 5, 2022. The series dates back to Feb. 27, 1974, the final game of the 1973-74 season, when AIC won the inaugural game, 84-93.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets (2-4, 1-0 NE10)
The Yellow Jackets concluded the 2021-22 season with a 6-23 record (3-16 in conference play) while ending on a 16-game losing streak.  In a poll of all head coaches, the American International men's basketball team was selected to finish 13th in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Poll with 15 points.

Despite dropping their first four games of the 2022-23 season, the Yellow Jackets enter Wednesday's matchup on a two-game win streak. American International played their first two games at a neutral location, falling to Jefferson and Holy Family in a weekend hosted by Franklin Pierce. After a 94-71 loss to the Bridgeport Purple Knights and an 84-58 loss to Post, the Yellow Jackets outlasted the Assumption Greyhounds, 78-76 in overtime for their first win of the season. The AIC reserves played a key role in their following win over Queens on Sunday as the bench accounted for 31 of the team's 64 points. 

Freshman guard Jack Hall has been the lead scorer for American International, averaging 13.5 points per game in six appearances, four of which were starts. Hall has also been a three-point threat for the Yellow Jackets, hitting 14 of his 41 shot attempts from a distance for a 34.1 three-point percentage. 

Junior Jalen Jordan, the team's rebound leader, enters the matchup with 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting. Freshman point guard Omarion Jett-Dobbs averages eights points but has been a persistent force on the defensive end, racking up eight steals and a team-leading four blocks. Jett-Dobbs also averages a NE-10 sixth best 3.7 assists per game.

The Yellow Jackets sixth man Justice Ellison has provided AIC with an offensive boost off the bench, averaging 13 points per game in six appearances.

Through six games, AIC has scored an average of 66.5 points per game, 13th in the conference, while holding opponents to 74.7 points on average. The Yellow Jackets are shooting 42.2 percent from the floor, 30.1 percent from beyond the arc, and 67.4 percent from the free-throw line. As a squad, the Yellow Jackets average 33.3 rebounds while ranking 11th in assists per game with 12.0, as well as fifth in steals with 7.3 per game. 

Scouting the Chargers (2-2, 2-1 NE10)
Looking to extend their win streak, the Chargers faced arguably their tough challenge so far, falling to #3 Indiana (Pa.), 60-65 in a tightly contested battle that wasn't determined until the very end. After trailing by as many of 14 points, the Chargers battled all the way back, holding the Crimson Hawks to a season low in points. The defense stayed strong throughout the game, limiting IUP to 21-53 shooting (39.3 percent) from the field and 4-14 (28.6 percent) from three-point range. A driving layup by Quashawn Lane (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic Academy) resulted in a successful and-1 opportunity to tie the game at 53 but The Crimson Hawks regained an eight point lead with 30 seconds left. After Victor Olawoye (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial High School) found Majur Majak (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./) in the paint for the dunk, giving him his first double-double of the year, Ty Perry (Boston, Mass./Brighton) pulled up from deep to cut the deficit to three. However, the Crimson Hawks would hit both of their free throws on the ensuing foul in the closing seconds to put the game out of reach. 

Through four games, the Chargers have taken advantage of opportunities on offense, shooting a conference second-best 50 percent. With an average of 71.3 points per game, the offense ranks ninth in efficiency. Perry continues to make an impact for New Haven after transferring from Buffalo, leading the team with 17.5 points per game. After misfiring on his first eight attempts from three to start his New Haven career, the senior guard hit three of his seven attempts in the loss. Perry also ranks second on the team and 17th in the conference with 5.8 rebounds per game.

Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie), who scored 14 points his last time out, follows close behind Perry with an average of 17 points per game. Despite a season-low from Thomas, the junior forward has made 25 of his 47 shot attempts for a 53.2 field goal percentage. Thomas has been a consistent threat from deep, making 14-31 (45.2 percent) of his three-pointers on the season after attempting a season-high 11 three-pointers on Saturday.

The duo of Lane and Olawoye has played a key role in the Charger's offensive scheme as the pair averages 13.5 and 9.8, respectively. The two guards have combined for 39 rebounds and 36 assists to start the campaign. The latter of the two tied a season-high in assists in his last time out, racking up eight dishes. Perry, Thomas and Lane have all recorded four straight games with double-digit points.

Majur Majak (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./) pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds against IUP after pulling down 10 the game before, as he leads the Chargers with 8.5 boards per game. Although the senior big man only averages 8.8 points per game, Majak tops the NE10 leaderboard by shooting 80 percent from the floor. After recording four double-doubles last season, Majak finished with an 11 point-11 rebound double-double. On defense, Olawoye has come away with eight steals while Majak continues to rack up blocks, leading the team and conference with 2.3 blocks per game. 

After they were outrebounded for the first time all season in the win over Saint Rose, the Chargers crashed the boards again, outrebounding IUP 35-31. In addition to a 50.0 field goal percentage, the Chargers also are also shooting 31.1 percent from deep and 69.4 percent at the line.

When and Where 
The New Haven men's basketball team return home to Charger Gymnasium for a three-game home stand where they will start by hosting the Franklin Pierce Ravens. Tip-off for the Chargers' return home is set for Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3:30 P.M. with live play-by-play stats on NewHavenChargers.com and coverage on Chargers Sports Network