STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New Haven Men's Basketball (13-17, 8-9 NEC) narrowly fell to Wagner (12-16, 7-10 NEC) with a 65-62 loss at the Spiro Sports Center Athletic Complex. The closely contested matchup featured seven ties. New Haven held a two-point lead at halftime, but Wagner's nine three-pointers proved decisive. The Chargers made an impressive 19 free throws, surpassing their season average of 10.62.

The game opened with Wagner's Nick Jones hitting a jumper at 17:52, quickly answered by New Haven's Jabri Fitzpatrick (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) with a layup at 17:25. Fitzpatrick, who has scored at least 21 points in four straight games, was instrumental throughout. Wagner briefly led with contributions from Bryan Akanmu and Binael Basil, making it 6-2. New Haven's Stefano Faloppa (Portogruaro, Italy/Holy Cross Prep) narrowed the gap with a three-pointer at 14:21, assisted by Andre Pasha (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science). Fitzpatrick then added a three-pointer and a layup, helping the Chargers secure a 15-11 lead. Despite a late push from Wagner, New Haven maintained a slim 22-20 lead at the half, with Pasha's layup at 52 seconds playing a key role.

In the second half, Wagner edged out New Haven 45-40, capturing the 65-62 win. Jones tied the game with a fast-break dunk just 27 seconds in. Pasha provided consistent scoring for the Chargers, including a three-pointer at 16:15 to temporarily extend their lead. However, Wagner's John Awoke hit a crucial three-pointer with 3:20 remaining to take the lead. Travis Gray's two free throws at 31 seconds extended Wagner's lead to 63-58, and they held on until the final buzzer.

**New Haven Top Performers**

Jabri Fitzpatrick (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick)  
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- 21 points  
- 8-of-8 free throws made, surpassing his season average of 3.03  
- 3 rebounds  

Andre Pasha (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science)  
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- 15 points  
- 3 blocks  
- 6 rebounds  

Najimi George (Bridgeport, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral)  
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- 10 points  
- 2 assists  
- 4 rebounds  

**Game Notes:**  
- Kyle Kearson (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) recorded a season-high seven rebounds.

**Up Next:**  
New Haven will host Le Moyne on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.