Smith's Career-High 23 Points Rally Men's Basketball Past Bryant, 75-67

Monday, November 30

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

4-2, 0-0AE

Bryant University

2-5, 0-0NEC

Bryant

UNH

Smith's Career-High 23 Points Rally Men's Basketball Past Bryant, 75-67

11/30/2015 9:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By:

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior tri-captain Jaleen Smith (Freeport, Texas) scored 16 of his career-high 23 points in the second half to help the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team overcome a seven-point deficit to post a 75-67 non-conference victory over Bryant University at Lundholm Gym on Monday night.

UNH (4-2, 0-0 America East) snapped a three-game losing streak against Bryant (2-5, 0-0 Northeast Conference) and defeated the Bulldogs for the first time ever.

With 8:56 to go in the second half and New Hampshire down, 54-47, Smith nailed a jumper and buried a three pointer to narrow the deficit to two with 7:29 on the clock. Senior Ronnel Jordan (San Antonio, Texas) tied it up at 54 apiece on a driving layup with 6:22 remaining. After trading baskets, Smith hit his third 3-pointer of the game with 5:26 left in the game to go up, for good, 59-57.

Smith shot 7 of 13 from the field with three treys and six made free throws. Classmate Jacoby Armstrong (Sachse, Texas) scored 14 points (6 of 10) and grabbed four boards. Jordan tallied 13 points (6 of 11) with six rebounds. Sophomore Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal) earned his fourth 10+ rebound game with 11.

Just 5: 39 into the second half and New Hampshire up, 44-43, Bryant went on an 11-3 run to earn the seven-point lead, the Bulldogs largest margin of the contest. Marcel Pettway chipped in four points while Nisere Zouzoua and Dan Garvin scored two points and Hunter Ware nailed a trey.

No team led by more than two points until 7:46 into the contest on the Bosko Kostur layup to push the Bulldogs ahead 12-9. Over a 4:12 period, Bryant increased their lead to six points on a Curtis Oakley 3-pointer.

The 'Cats slowly battled back to take a one-point lead (26-25). Junior Daniel Dion (Cedar Park, Texas) nailed a three pointer, Armstrong finished a jumper and both sophomore Keon Burns (Beaverton, Ore.) and Dion drilled back-to-back threes with 4:37 to play in the first.

In the final four minutes of the first half, the lead changed two more times as UNH led 36-35 at the break. The Wildcats hit five treys in the opening stanza led by Dion with two. Smith, Burns and McNamara each knocked down one.

Bryant was led by Garvin who recorded 15 points and six rebounds. Shane McLaughlin totaled 12 points and Ware scored 11.

The lead changed 15 times throughout the game as the Wildcats held a 10-3 made-3-pointers lead and a 11-6 assist advantage.

New Hampshire will hit the road to take on both Abilene Christian University on Thursday, Dec. 3 (8 p.m.) and Southern Methodist University on Saturday, Dec. 5 (1:30 p.m.), with the latter on ESPN3. UNH returns home Tuesday, Dec. 8 to take on Worcester State University (7 p.m.). For tickets, visit www.unhwildcats.com or call 603-862-4000.

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