WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Nov. 12, 2022) - In a highly entertaining game that saw eight ties and 14 lead changes, Georgian Court fell just short Saturday evening against New Haven, 78-71. Both teams held large leads throughout only to see them vanish as the teams went back-and-forth. The loss means the Lions came up empty in their trip to the Constitution State, falling to Southern Connecticut State last night, and now New Haven tonight.

How it Happened
• Both teams shot better than 40% from the field with the Lions connecting on 26-58 and the Chargers 24-54.
• Each team also made four three-pointers and two in the fourth quarter.
• At the free throw line is where New Haven padded their lead. Georgian Court did well, going 15-17, but they put the Chargers at the line 37 times where they made 26, as the foul total was 28-18 Georgian Court.
• Each team lost control of the ball often. The Lions gave it up 20 times and the Chargers 18. New Haven scored 24 points off those GCU turnovers and 18 in transition.
• In each quarter, one team took a big lead while the other mounted a comeback. In the first, it was the Chargers who raced out to an 11-5 lead, only to see the Lions go on an 8-2 run to tie things at 13. UNH then scored the next six points for a 19-13 lead, but the Lions closed the period on another 8-2 run and after 10 minutes we were right where we started, tied at 21.
• The pace slowed down a bit in the second quarter. This time it was Georgian Court who took a big lead. They scored six straight for a 27-24 lead, but with four minutes left to play, New Haven tied it at 27-all.
• New Haven scored nine straight late in the second quarter and turned their deficit into a six-point lead, 33-27. 
• With less than two minutes remaining in the half, Savawn Hughes cut the lead to one and Imani Gillete hit a layup to give the Lions the lead back.
• Leading by one on their final possession, Gillette collected an offensive rebound and hit a put back layup as the horn sounded to signal the end of the half. GCU closed the second quarter on an 11-2 run as they led 38-35 at the break.
• The Lions momentum didn't carry over into the second half. They spotted New Haven eight straight to start the third quarter as they took a five-point lead, 43-38. Gillette stopped the run scoring the Lions first points of the half with a pair at the line and she got GCU back within one with a layup.
• With five minutes left in the half, Leah Snisky checked back in with four fouls. The move paid off early as Snisky put GCU ahead 44-43 with a jumper, but she quickly picked up her fifth foul and fouled out with 3:42 left in the third.
• New Haven used a 9-2 run to reclaim an eight-point lead with 90 seconds left. The Lions made a layup and following a Gillette block, Tian Addison went coast-to-coast for a running layup in the closing seconds getting GCU within three, 54-51.
• Erika Aspajo and Savawn Hughes went back-to-back with layups for GCU to start the fourth and Precious Adediran put the Lions back up three, 60-57 midway through the final frame.
• New Haven answered though scoring five straight in the next 70 seconds, getting a Kameryn King three to go back on top 62-60.
• The Chargers never trailed again and pulled away late for a 78-71 win.

It Was Over When...
• As New Haven led by four, 70-66, Kameryn King beat the shot clock and hit a long three to extend the Charger lead to seven, 73-66 with just 1:02 left to play.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Imani Gillette led four Lions in double-figures with 16 points. She was 7-11 from the floor and also grabbed 13 rebounds for a double-double.
• Erika Aspajo added 13 points and three assists.
• Savawn Hughes was 4-8 from the floor and 4-4 at the line for 12 points.
• Leah Snisky finished 5-7 for 10 points in just 13 minutes.
• Precious Adediran was 2-2 from three for six points. She also came up with three rebounds and two blocked.

For the Chargers
• Camryn DeBose scored a game-high 30 going 8-18 and 13-14 at the free throw line. 
• Aurora Deshaies tallied a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
• Kameryn King also scored 17 going 3-5 from three.

News and Notes
• Georgian Court shot 88% at the free throw line. They failed to surpass 80% in any game last season.
• The Lions have dropped back-to-back to the Chargers after they fell 64-62 last season.
• The last time GCU started 0-2 was in the 2018-19 season.
• Despite the 14 lead changes, GCU did a lot of playing from behind as New Haven held the lead for 28:32.
• Three Lions played more than 32 minutes - Tian Addison (36:19), Erika Aspajo (35:30) and Imani Gillette (32:19).

Up Next
• The Lions will play their home opener Wednesday, November 16 against Kutztown. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.