Twitty netted a game-high 32 points for the Skyhawks today (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Chargers rally from 11-point deficit with five minutes to go

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (January 26, 2019) – The University of New Haven, ranked No. 4 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, scored the final five points of regulation and then the first nine in overtime to secure a 98-87 triumph over Stonehill College, ranked No. 8 in the region, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at Charger Gymnasium this afternoon.

Junior Elijah Bailey scored 20 of his team-high 28 points after the intermission, draining all eight free throws, to go with six rebounds, three assists and three steals to lead New Haven to its fifth-straight win. Classmate Roy Kane, Jr. added 22 points, including 14 after halftime, with his layup with 4.9-seconds to play in regulation forcing overtime, collecting five rebounds.

All five New Haven starters scored in double-figures, with sophomore Derrick Rowland adding 17 points and five assists, while junior Kessly Felizor contributing 15 points and eight rebounds (seven offensive), two blocked shots and two steals. Freshman Quashawn Lane chipped in 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, four boards, four assists, two blocked shots and three steals.

Junior Brandon Twitty erupted for 32 points in his second game since returning from an injury on 12-of-18 shooting, including 4-for-9 from three-point distance, to go with three assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Classmate Will Moreton was among a trio of Skyhawks to finish with 14 points, connecting on 3-of-9 three-pointers, adding seven rebounds and three assists, while senior Joel Berroa connected on 5-of-8 shots, including 2-for-3 from three, for his 14 points, marking his fifth-straight double-figure game, with five rebounds. Senior Michael Boen rounds out the Skyhawks in double figures with 14 points, making all four of his shots from the floor, including a three-pointer, and converting 5-of-6 free throws with four boards and three steals.

New Haven overcame an 11-point deficit (71-60) with 5:22 to play, with Stonehill holding a five-point cushion (79-74) after a Berroa three-pointer with 31-seconds to go. Kane, Jr. followed the Berroa three with one of his own, and then Felizor picked off a Skyhawks pass near midcourt and then Kane, Jr. scored an open layup inside with 4.9-seconds remaining to knot the score (79-79) and force the extra five minutes.

Berroa reached double-figures for the fifth-straight game with his 14 points and five rebounds. (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

New Haven extended its run to 14-straight points by scoring the first nine points of the overtime period to take control (88-79) halfway through. Bailey opened the overtime session with a three-pointer and Felizor scored four-straight points, before Lane capped the run with a layup with 2:47 remaining. Stonehill closed within five twice, the second of which came after a Twitty jumper with 44-seconds to go (92-87), and he had a shot at a three-pointer after a Chargers turnover to draw within a possession with 34-seconds remaining, but was off the mark. New Haven closed the game out from there, with Kane, Jr., Bailey and Felizor combining to drain all six free-throw attempts to seal the win.

Stonehill buried its first three from beyond the arc in staking out a pair of six point leads in the opening five minutes of the game. New Haven used a 12-2 run to reverse the lead and grab a four-point lead (23-19) with a Rowland jumper with 11:58 to go in the opening half. The lead teetered back and forth and then the Chargers grabbed a six-point lead (34-38) after a three-point play from Rowland with 4:32 left before the half. The Skyhawks followed that up by scoring seven-straight, including four by Twitty, to regain the lead (35-34) on a Twitty jumper with 49-seconds left, before Kane, Jr. gave New Haven the halftime lead with a jumper of his own with 25-seconds on the clock.

With the game tied (39-39) three minutes into the second half, Stonehill got baskets from three different players to grab a six point lead five minutes in. Moreton gave the Skyhawks an eight-point cushion (53-44) with a three-pointer with 12:46 to play, and then an 11-2 run gave New Haven the lead (55-54) after a Lane layup with under ten to go.

Stonehill followed with a barrage of five three-pointers over the next four minutes to open its game-high 11-point lead (71-60) after a triple from freshman Andrew Sims with 5:22 to play. The Skyhawks still held a ten-point advantage (74-64) after a Sims layup with four to play, but back to back threes by Rowland and Felizor had the Chargers back within a pair (74-72) with 1:47 on the clock, setting up the final push after a Berroa three in the last minute.

Stonehill (11-8, 5-7 NE10) concludes its season-long three game road trip at Pace University on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym next Saturday, February 2, to host Adelphi University on Alumni Weekend at the College at 3:30 p.m. New Haven (13-5, 8-4 NE10) visits Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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