WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Leading for all of 15 seconds, the New Haven men's basketball team closed out its non-conference cruising to an 83-60 victory over the visiting Staten Island Dolphins on Wednesday night at Charger Gymnasium. With the win, New Haven improves to 16-8 on the season and looks ahead at its final two regular season games of the season at Le Moyne on Saturday, February 18 and at home against Saint Anselm on Tuesday, February 21.

Leading the Chargers on the night was senior transfer Ty Perry (Boston, Mass./Brighton) who finished the night with a team-best 20 points, as he closed out the night shooting 10-of-16 from the field while adding three rebounds and a pair of assists and steals. Joining him as the only other player in double figures is junior Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) who capped off the evening with 16 points, making half of his 12 field goal attempts, with three of those outside the long distance arc.

As a team, New Haven finished the evening shooting 48.5 percent, connecting on 33-of-68 field goal attempts, with seven of those baskets from outside the arc. The Chargers also added 10 points in 15 attempts at the free throw line. The Blue and Gold also held a commanding lead in the battle of the boards with a 47-28 margin at the final buzzer, led by Majur Majak's (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./) game-best 11. The Chargers also dished out 19 assists on their 33 field goals with Quashawn Lane (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic Academy) leading the way with five, with six different players all dished out at least one.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·         It took nearly three minutes but it was the Dolphins that scored first on the night, with New Haven answering just 15 seconds later with its first points coming from Perry.

·         Perry went on score six of the Chargers first eight points, helping his team to an 8-2 lead which they would go on to extend out to 15-5 just over two minutes later thanks to back-to-back baskets from Sean Braithwaite (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) and a hoop and harm from Majak as he completed the three point play.

·         Staten Island answered that 10 point deficit by scoring seven unanswered of their own, keeping the Chargers off the board for a nearly three minute stretch as its drew New Haven within three.

·         The game of runs continued as New Haven answered with a 7-0 stretch of its own, this time holding the Dolphins without a basket for a stretch of 2:30 as they rebuilt a 22-12 lead with 8:11 to play before the break.

·         This time around the Dolphins wouldn't have an extended streak answer as New Haven extended its lead 7-0 streak to 18-3 which led to an 18 point lead for the home team with 3:11 to play before the break.

·         The Dolphins managed to cut its deficit down to 15 twice over the final three minutes with New Haven taking its largest lead of the half with 79 seconds remaining thanks to a second chance score from Lane after collecting the board on his own initial miss.

·         However, Staten Island would get the final word as they converted the final basket of the half, trailing 39-22 at the buzzer.

·         A pair of Chargers led the way in the opening period with Perry racking up a dozen and Thomas following him with an even 10.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·         New Haven came out of the locker room to score first in the second half with Perry adding to his team-high with a second chance layup after collecting the board on his own miss. That was part of three-straight top open the half as the Chargers opened up their first 20 point lead just over two minutes into the second half action.

·         The early success continued for the Chargers as they built their lead to 26 before shaving five minutes off the clock with a three from Victor Olawoye (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial High School) giving New Haven a 52-26 lead.

·         Despite continued pressure from the Dolphins, New Haven kept converting on offense, building its lead to as much as 34 on the night with that largest lead coming at the 4:44 mark when Kendall McMillan (Columbia, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) converted the steal from Lane into a fast break layup.

·         The Dolphins would have some success in the final four minutes, outscoring the Chargers 13-3 down the stretch leading to the margin at the final buzzer of 83-60.