Dion Scored 16 but Men’s Hoops fell 71-62 to CCU in the CIT Second Round

Saturday, March 19

Conway, SC

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

20-13

Coastal Carolina University

20-11

New Hampshire

Coastal Carolina

Photo by: Greg Greene

Dion Scored 16 but Men’s Hoops fell 71-62 to CCU in the CIT Second Round

3/19/2016 5:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. – Junior Daniel Dion (Cedar Park, Texas) finished with 16 points as the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team fell 71-62 to Coastal Carolina University in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Saturday afternoon at the HTC Center.

New Hampshire concludes the season with a program-best 20 wins and 13 losses after finished 11-5 in conference play. CCU moves onto the quarterfinals of the CIT with a 20-11 record overall.

HIGHLIGHTS

Dion finished with 16 points on 5 of 14 field goals and four threes.
Sophomore Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his seventh and final double-double this season.
Junior Jaleen Smith (Freeport, Texas) tallied 13 points and eight rebounds with four assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams struggled to make baskets in the first half, going a combined 17 of 61 from the field. The 'Cats nailed back-to-back threes to start the game from Leissner and Smith bookending a layup by Colton Ray-St Cyr for CCU.

The Chants went on a 8-3 run to claim its first lead of the contest, 10-9, with 13:13 to go in the first. Badou Diagne scored seven points in the stretch en route to a 12-point first half.

No team led by more than two points before CCU's Ron Trapps hit a 3-pointer to break nearly a 3-minute scoring drought for both teams and claim a 21-17 lead. The Chanticleers looked to head into the break with the lead but Leissner hit two free throws to take a one-point lead with seven seconds before Bramanti stole the inbound and scored the basket for a 28-25 halftime lead. The 'Cats went 8-for-10 from the free throw line in the opening frame.

Shaw opened the second-half scoring with a 3-pointer to knot it up at 28 apiece and never trailed for the remainder of the contest. CCU stretched its lead to seven, 38-31, but Bramanti hit a wing three, Leissner nailed a free-throw line jumper and Dion finished a cross over basket to tie it up for the seventh time in the game.

In the closing minutes, CCU pushed their lead to as much as 11 and the 'Cats couldn't overcome the 51.6 percent shooting in the frame, including 8 of 10 threes.

-POSTGAME NOTES-
UNH STARTERS (SEASON/CAREER STARTS)
Jr. G Jaleen Smith (29/73)
So. F Iba Camara (30/38)
So. F Tanner Leissner (29/56)
Sr. G Ronnel Jordan (29/31)
Jr. G Joe Bramanti (26/46)

GROUPS RECORD: 12-5

SERIES INFO

This was the first meeting between the Chanticleers and the Wildcats.

ATTENDANCE: 847

TEAM NOTES

UNH hit 11 3-poiners in the contest.
In the opening half, UNH went 8-for-10 from the free-throw line.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Daniel Dion: 16 points / 5-14 FGs / 4-9 FTs
Tanner Leissner: 15 points / 10 rebounds
Jaleen Smith: 13 points / 8 rebounds / 4 assists

Elijah Wilson: 19 points / 7-13 FGs / 3-5 3s
Badou Diagne: 19 points / 10 rebounds / 8-10 FGs / 3-3 3s
Jaylen Shaw: 16 points / 6 assists / 3 steals / 5-9 FGs / 4-8 3s

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