WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — Darin Smith scored a game-high 40 points and Central Connecticut withstood a furious second-half rally to edge New Haven 81-76 in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Charger Gymnasium.

The Blue Devils (14-10) appeared in control, leading by as many as 15 points in the first half and taking a 41-33 advantage into halftime. But the Chargers (10-15), fueled by a raucous home crowd of 903, chipped away relentlessly after the break. A 10-2 run early in the second half, capped by a Maison Adeleye free throw, cut the deficit to 46-43 with just over 16 minutes to play.

Smith, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Springfield, Massachusetts, repeatedly answered for Central Connecticut. After New Haven pulled within three, Smith sank a 3-pointer to push the lead back to six. He scored 23 of his points in the second half, including a critical stepback jumper with 1:40 remaining that gave the Blue Devils a 71-69 lead after the Chargers had tied the game.

New Haven, which was projected as a 60.5% favorite by Interstat’s ELO system, had its chances in the final minute. Trailing 74-72, the Chargers forced a turnover and Andre Pasha converted a driving layup while being fouled with 27 seconds left. He missed the subsequent free throw that would have given New Haven the lead, leaving the game tied.

On the ensuing possession, Central Connecticut’s Jay Rodgers was fouled and made both free throws to put the Blue Devils ahead 76-74 with 25 seconds remaining. New Haven’s Najimi George then drove for a layup to tie the game again at 76 with 24 seconds on the clock.

The Blue Devils ran the clock down before getting the ball to Smith, whose 3-point attempt was off the mark. In the scramble for the rebound, New Haven’s Maison Adeleye was called for a foul on Central Connecticut’s Elijah Parker with 2 seconds left. Parker, a Waterbury, Connecticut native, made the first free throw to break the tie and, after missing the second intentionally, the Blue Devils secured the defensive rebound as time expired.

Smith’s 40-point performance continued a dominant stretch for the sophomore, who had 25 points in a win over Wagner on Feb. 7 and 24 points against Chicago State on Feb. 5. He was supported by Rodgers, who had 12 points and seven assists, and Roddy Jones, who added 12 points off the bench.

New Haven was led by Jabri Fitzpatrick, who scored 20 points and dished out six assists. Adeleye provided a significant spark off the bench with 15 points, while Pasha added 16 points. The Chargers dominated inside, outscoring Central Connecticut 34-24 in the paint, but were hampered by 19 turnovers which the Blue Devils converted into 16 points.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Central Connecticut, which defeated New Haven 72-61 on Jan. 4. The game was a pivotal one in the NEC standings, with the Blue Devils solidifying their position above .500 in conference play.

Central Connecticut built its first-half lead with efficient offense and disruptive defense, forcing 11 New Haven turnovers before the break. Smith had 17 points in the opening period, including a 3-pointer in the final minutes that helped stem an early Chargers run. New Haven struggled from the floor early, shooting just 33% in the first half before finding its rhythm after halftime.

The Chargers’ second-half surge was keyed by Fitzpatrick and Adeleye, who combined for 23 points after the break. New Haven took its first lead of the game at 49-48 on a 3-pointer from Adeleye with 13:31 remaining, setting up a back-and-forth final stretch that featured six ties and three lead changes.

Central Connecticut’s ability to execute in the final minute, particularly from the free-throw line where they went 4-for-4 in the last 31 seconds, proved decisive. The Blue Devils also got a key defensive play from Max Frazier, who blocked a potential go-ahead layup by George with just over two minutes left and the score tied.

The win moves Central Connecticut to 14-10 overall and keeps them in the upper tier of the NEC. New Haven falls to 10-15 and will look to rebound quickly with another conference matchup at home on Saturday.