EASTON, Mass. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking a positive start to the new year will meet Friday when the New Haven Chargers visit the Stonehill Skyhawks in a non-conference men’s basketball game at Merkert Gymnasium.

Both programs enter the 2026 calendar year looking to halt recent slides. New Haven (5-8) has lost four straight, all on the road, including a 53-96 defeat at Vanderbilt on Monday. Stonehill (2-10) has dropped eight of its last nine, most recently a 48-77 loss at Syracuse on Dec. 22.

The matchup, organized by the Northeast, features teams with contrasting records but similar struggles to find consistency against Division I competition. The Chargers’ wins have come largely against lower-division opponents, with their lone DI victory a 73-67 win at Massachusetts-Lowell on Nov. 10. The Skyhawks’ two victories are against VTSU-Johnson and in overtime against a non-DI opponent not listed in this season’s provided results.

A key player for New Haven will be Stefano Faloppa, who is coming off an 8-point performance at Vanderbilt. Over his last four games, Faloppa has averaged 9.0 points and 4.3 rebounds. For Stonehill, guard Davante Hackett will be a focus after scoring 12 points against Syracuse. He averaged 7.0 points over his last three contests.

The game represents a rare opportunity for each squad to secure a win against a fellow DI program before continuing their schedules. New Haven begins a stretch of nine consecutive games against Northeast Conference foes after this contest, starting Sunday at Central Connecticut. Stonehill also opens its NEC slate on Sunday at Wagner.

Friday’s contest tips off at 7 p.m. EST.