Men’s basketball advances to Northeast-10 championship with 59-42 win over SNHU

Winning in the playoffs is never an easy task, especially while facing the number one team in the conference on their home court. Every moment of the game matters and one play could be the difference between who moves on and who is eliminated.

In a game where defense was the deciding factor, the New Haven men’s basketball team now finds themselves one win away from capturing the Northeast-10 (NE-10) title. The Chargers held the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) offense to a season-low 42 points in a dominant game in which they did not trail once.

Led by NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year Majur Majak, who racked up 17 rebounds and four blocks, New Haven was able to control the pace and play from ahead with big shots and stingy defense.

New Haven’s offense got off to a strong start with the first of two three-pointers from guard Ty Perry, who finished second on the team with 16 points. Three minutes later, Perry knocked down his second shot from behind the arc to double SNHU’s point total through the first five minutes.

New Haven’s conference-best defense held SNHU under double-digit points for the majority of the first half, reaching 10 points after a layup by forward Ryan Layman with 8:29 left to play.

After a layup from SNHU forward Jordan Brathwaite to make it a six-point game, New Haven guard Quashawn Lane scored six consecutive points to put the Chargers ahead by 12 with 1:41 remaining, their biggest lead of the first half. SNHU called a timeout with 21 seconds left and sent the game into halftime facing a 10-point deficit, scoring just 16 points in the first half.

Lane finished the game with a team-high 17 points for the Chargers to continue a great season in which he is averaging nearly 15 points per game. His consistency has played a huge role in New Haven’s championship run, putting him in the top 10 in the NE-10 in points per game.

New Haven’s dominant defense continued in the second half, holding SNHU to just two baskets in the first five minutes. SNHU cut the deficit to eight three times in a span of two minutes, but the Chargers’ offense responded right back each time to keep their double-digit lead intact.

The Chargers continued to add on with a three from guard Victor Olawoye to put them ahead by 12. Neither team could find the net for the next four minutes, as Majak kept dominating the paint with a big block to prevent SNHU from mounting a comeback.

The Penmen made it as little as a nine-point game after a three from guard Ethan Okwuosa and a layup from guard Evan Guillory, but could not manage to overcome the big deficit they had been facing all game.

New Haven scored seven unanswered points to make it a 16-point game, capped off by a three from forward Davontrey Thomas. The final two minutes were dominated by the Chargers with scores from Perry, Lane and Olawoye to seal the deal and set the stage for a rematch of the 2019-20 NE-10 championship game on the road against Saint Anselm College.

In the last game of the regular season, New Haven lost a tightly contested one-point game to Saint Anselm at home, splitting the series after a 72-63 win in their first matchup of the season. Coming off a huge win on SNHU’s home court, the Chargers will look to win another huge game on the road to finish their quest for a conference championship.

The NE-10 champion will be crowned on Sunday, March 4 in what should be a great game between two quality teams. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. as the Chargers will look to come home as the top team in the conference. More information can be found at newhavenchargers.com.