WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Curran Leighton (Dover, N.H.) scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Saint Anselm College women's basketball team to Wednesday evening's 60-43 victory against the University of New Haven at Charger Gymnasium.

The Hawks improve to 11-9 on the season, including 5-9 in Northeast-10 play, while the Chargers drop to 2-16, 2-12 NE-10.

Leighton was 6-for-9 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 2-for-2 at the line, while adding eight rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist.

The Chargers used a trio of 3-pointers, including two from Nikita Reddy, to grab an 11-0 lead out of the gate. The Hawks scored their first points on a layup by sophomore Meg Morrissey (So. Kingstown, R.I.) with 13:17 remaining in the opening half.

Trailing 18-6 later in the stanza, Saint Anselm reeled off a 15-4 run to slice its deficit to just one at 22-21 with 5:48 left. Sophomore Kierra Moore (Albany, N.Y.) kicked in eight points during the stretch, including a pair of 3-pointers.

After a Monica Schacker trey stopped the bleeding and opened the New Haven lead to four, the Hawks scored the final seven points of the half. Sophomore Briana Jones (White Plains, N.Y.) sparked the run with a pair of baskets and had six points during the stretch, as the Hawks took a 28-25 lead into the break.

The Chargers came out of the locker room on an 8-2 run, with four points from Bria Moore, that gave them a 33-30 lead 4:38 in. The Hawks answered with a 10-0 run that was bookended by a pair of Leighton 3-pointers and gave them a 40-35 lead with 11:35 remaining. Senior Megan Howard (St. Paul, Minn.), who chipped in the other four points during the stretch, gave the Hawks the lead for good with a free throw at the 14:27 mark.

A layup by Aquillin Hayes snapped the run, but Saint Anselm picked up where it left off as it strung together a 10-2 run that made it 50-39 with 6:56 to play. Leighton scored the final six points of the run. Following another Hayes basket, the Hawks finished the game on another 10-2 run with four points apiece from Leighton and Morrissey.

Sophomore Tori Lehr (Cohasset, Mass.) scored nine points and pulled in three rebounds. Moore tallied eight points, four assists and a pair of steals, while Morrissey netted eight points to go along with two steals and two rebounds. Howard also chipped in eight points and added three boards. Jones posted six points, two rebounds and two steals.

Saint Anselm outshot New Haven, 46.7 percent (21-45) to 30.8 percent (16-52), including 50 percent (10-20) to 20 percent (6-30) in the second half. The Chargers won the battle on the glass, 35-28, including 15-4 on the offensive boards, but turned the ball over 20 times. The Hawks only turned it over just 11 times and owned a 25-13 advantage in points off turnovers.

Hayes led the Chargers with 12 points.

The Hawks return to action Saturday, Jan. 28 at 1:30 p.m. when they play host to Adelphi University at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.