CHICAGO, Ill. (January 19, 2026) — Chicago St. (2-17, 0-6 NEC) fell to the University of New Haven (9-10, 4-2 NEC) with a final score of 62-56 on Monday night at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center. Despite a strong 30 points in the paint, the Cougars were outpaced by New Haven's eight 3-pointers and perfect free-throw shooting.
The first half between CSU and New Haven was a closely contested affair, with the Cougars edging out a narrow 33-30 lead. New Haven's Najimi George opened the scoring with a layup just 18 seconds into the game, assisted by Andre Pasha. Chicago State responded with
Dailliss Cox scoring a jumper, assisted by
Malek Robinson, to tie the game. The teams traded leads throughout the half, highlighted by a 3-pointer from
CJ Ray at the 15:03 mark and a three-point play by
Doyel Cockrill III with 10:04 remaining. Both teams capitalized on turnovers, with CSU forcing nine from New Haven, contributing to their slim lead at the end of the half.
In the second half, New Haven's Jabri Fitzpatrick led a late surge, scoring crucial points to secure a 62-56 victory over Chicago State. Fitzpatrick was instrumental, converting key free throws and a layup in the final minute. The Cougars'
CJ Ray contributed significantly with offensive rebounds and a fastbreak layup early on, but New Haven maintained the edge with efficient shooting from the line. Despite CSU's efforts, New Haven's superior rebounding and timely scoring in the paint made the difference.
Ray led Chicago St., scoring 17 points on 8-of-18 shooting and adding two steals. Cockrill III contributed 14 points while also dishing out three assists.
Marcus Tankersley added 10 points, going 5-for-9 from the field and recording four assists. Cox finished with 10 points and six rebounds, effectively controlling the boards.
Looking ahead, the Cougars will travel to face Saint Francis University on Friday, Jan. 23. The matchup is set for 6 p.m. at DeGol Arena in Loretto, Pennsylvania.
