Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Southern Connecticut State men's basketball team used a strong defensive showing to top New Haven 61-46 on Wednesday night. It was the fewest points allowed by the Owls in a single game since they allowed 43 to UMass Lowell on Feb 19, 2008. Southern held the Chargers, who entered the game averaging nearly 66 points per game, to just 33 percent (16-for-48) shooting from the field and 28.6 percent (6-for-21) from three-point range. Senior Tylon Smith (Manchester, Conn.) led the Owls with 19 points and nine rebounds on 7-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-3 from three-point range. Junior Deshawn Murphy (Hamden, Conn.) totaled 16 points and nine rebounds, senior Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y.) added 10 points and three rebounds on 4-for-9 shooting, and junior Stefon Williams (Jamaica, N.Y.) and sophomore Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) each added seven points. UNH's Eric Anderson led all scorers with 20 points and 10 rebounds. With the win, the Owls improve to 16-5 (11-3 NE-10), while the Chargers fall to 12-9 (7-7 NE-10).

After the Chargers jumped on top 2-0 in the opening minute, the Owls used a layup from Stefon Williams and a three-pointer from Murphy to grab the lead that they would never relinquish. Another three from Murphy put the team up by eight at 19-11, exactly midway through the opening half. A Stefon Williams layup just over one minute later grew the lead to double digits and a layup from Smith at the 3:15 mark gave the home team their largest lead of the half at 27-13.

Following a steal by Smith with four seconds remaining in the half, Murphy heaved up a long range three point attempt from just inside half court, but was fouled as time expired. He promptly sank all three free throws to send the Owls into the locker room with a 33-23 advantage.

Southern kept up the pressure up in the second half, climbing the lead up to 15 over the first five minutes of the second frame. A pair of three-pointers from Smith, layup by junior Desmond Williams (Torrington, Conn.) and layup from Stefon Williams brought the lead to 43-28 at the 15:13 mark.

With 6:45 remaining, a Houston jumper gave the team its largest lead of the game at 59-39. The Owls netted their final two points of the game with 1:41 to go with a layup by Mallory, bringing the final to 61-46.

SCSU returns to action this Saturday afternoon when they travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to take on Le Moyne for the second time this season. The Owls defeated the Dolphins by a score of 102-66 at Moore Field House back on Dec. 21. Tip off on Saturday afternoon is set for 2 p.m.