Historic Upset: New Haven Stuns UMass Lowell 73-67 for First-Ever Division I Win

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In the world of college athletics, making the jump from Division II to Division I is a daunting task, but for the University of New Haven men’s basketball team, the reward was historic. On Monday night at the Kennedy Family Athletic Complex, the Chargers secured their first-ever Division I victory, defeating UMass Lowell, 73-67.

The game, which featured 15 lead changes and six ties, was a seesaw battle until the Chargers’ late surge. New Haven erased a seven-point halftime deficit by outscoring the River Hawks by 13 points in the second half.

Fitzpatrick Takes Over

While the crowd of 614 may have been surprised by the result, the Chargers’ relentless play, particularly in the second half, carried the day. The architect of the comeback was guard Jabri Fitzpatrick, who scored 18 of his game-high 23 points after the break.

Fitzpatrick’s ability to drive and score in the lane was a thing of beauty. He was decisive about his second-half mindset. “My shot was not falling in the first half, but I was seeing the opening. In the second half, I took the opening,” he said after the game.

UMass Lowell Head Coach Pat Duquette acknowledged the difficulty of containing the star guard. “We could not stop him,” Duquette stated.

Fitzpatrick was one of four Chargers who finished in double figures:

Jabri Fitzpatrick: 23 points
Najimi George: 17 points
Kheri Briggs: 11 points (off the bench)
Andre Pasha: 10 points

A Game of Runs

The River Hawks held a small lead through the first eight minutes before New Haven took its first lead, 14-13, with 11:39 left on back-to-back jumpers from George. Consecutive three-pointers by Zoumana Traore extended the lead to five, 20-15.

The River Hawks responded with a 6-2 run, capped by a pair of free throws from JJ Massaquoi (who finished with 16 points), tying the game at 21-21. UMass Lowell then finished the first half with a 10-0 run, highlighted by two three-pointers from Daniel Yepdo (17 points), including a buzzer-beater, to take a 37-30 halftime lead.

Early in the second half, UMass Lowell looked ready to pull away, holding eight-point leads three times, the last coming with 13:14 to go after a three from Xavier Spencer (10 points). However, they never pushed the lead to double digits.

New Haven immediately countered with a 9-0 run, featuring five points from Briggs, to regain the lead at 48-47 with 10:23 remaining. The Chargers extended their advantage to six, 61-55, on the strength of three straight baskets from Fitzpatrick and a three-pointer from Mason Adeleye (his only points of the game).

Closing the Door

The River Hawks fought back, briefly regaining the lead, 66-65, on five straight points from Yepdo with 3:51 left. But New Haven would not be denied its historic win, finishing the game on a decisive 8-1 run. The key play was a three-point play from Fitzpatrick, sealed by the River Hawks going 1-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final two minutes.

Coaches’ Perspective

UMass Lowell’s Duquette spoke candidly about his young team’s performance, which features 10 new players. He called the process a “work in progress,” admitting there is no set rotation yet. He attributed the loss to “too many self-inflicted mistakes” as the team prepares for a lengthy road trip.

New Haven Head Coach Ted Hotaling shared a delightful conversation, reflecting on the “bold move” the University made in elevating to Division I. He noted that none of his players were recruited by other D-I schools. Hotaling pointed out that he specifically sought “A+ human beings” for his new roster.

Fitzpatrick, the first player to sign with the Chargers, credited Hotaling for believing in him. The coach, however, joked that Fitzpatrick gave him “zero” help in recruiting other players, adding that the guard would call him every couple of days to check on new signees.

The coach and player are not focused on the immediate NCAA Tournament ban due to the move-up. Instead, they view their early schedule—featuring games against powerhouses like Connecticut, Penn State, and Vanderbilt—as their tournament games, embracing the challenge of building a D-I program.

The River Hawks will begin their two-week road trip on Thursday night at Columbia.