Leissner Records 24 Points, 750th Career Rebound in 78-68 Loss at Fairfield

Friday, December 22

Bridgeport, Conn.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

Fairfield University

Photo by: Steve McLaughlin

Leissner Records 24 Points, 750th Career Rebound in 78-68 Loss at Fairfield

12/22/2017 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) scored 24 points and Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal) recorded a double-double, but the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team was defeated 78-68 by Fairfield University on Friday night at Webster Bank Arena.

Leissner made six field goals and 12 of 13 free throws to record his sixth 20+ scoring game of the season. Camara finished with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for his team-leading sixth double-double of the season.

Josh Hopkins (Greensboro, N.C.) scored 11 points, all in the second half. Elijah Jordan (Orlando, Fla.) came off the bench to record five points, a career-high seven rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes.

Fairfield was led by Tyler Nelson's 31 points; he made 10 of 16 FGs, including 5-for-10 3-pointers. Jonathan Kasibabu tallied 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

UNH is now 3-10 and Fairfield is 5-6.

LOOKING AHEAD

New Hampshire returns to action Dec. 30 (7 p.m.) at home against Dartmouth College for the Battle of the Granite State. Click here to purchase tickets or call (603) 862-4000.

GAME RECAP

With UNH trailing 6-4, Jacoby Armstrong (Dallas, Texas) and Darryl Stewart (Atlanta, Ga.) hit consecutive 3-pointers to give the Wildcats a 10-6 lead at 15:37.
Elijah Jordan (Orlando, Fla.) connected from behind the 3-point arc out of the media timeout to cap a 9-0 run and extend the lead to 13-6 at 14:51.
Fairfield answered with a 3-pointer, but Leissner made back-to-back baskets in the paint to give New Hampshire its largest lead of the first half – nine points – at 18-9 with 13:16 on the clock.
The Stags made consecutive 3-pointers to close within 18-15, but Stewart made his second 3 of the half, this time from the top of the key, to push the margin to six points.
Fairfield went on an 8-0 spurt to regain the lead, 23-21, at 8:26 and prompt UNH to call a timeout.
The 'Cats responded with a layup by Camara and 3-pointer by Keon Burns (Beaverton, Ore.) to go back in front, 26-23, at 7:22.
The Stags closed the half on a 15-7 run to take a 38-33 lead into halftime.
Fairfield scored the first seven points of the second half to build its largest lead of the game, 13 points, at 46-33 with just 83 seconds elapsed.
Hopkins drained a pair of 3's within 23 seconds to quickly lift New Hampshire within 46-39.
The Wildcats trailed by 11 points, but Hopkins scored five straight points to trim the deficit to 55-49 at 14:27.
Trailing 60-53, both Leissner and Camara hit a pair of free throws to close the gap to 60-57 at 9:02.
Fairfield increased the lead to 66-57 at 7:00, but Leissner completed a three-point play off an offensive rebound and then drove down the lane for two more points and pull the 'Cats within 66-62 at 5:35.
The Stags scored the next five points, however, and took a 71-62 lead into the last media timeout at 3:20.
Leissner drilled two more foul shots moments later, but the home team reestablished a double-digit lead of 75-65 with 2:18 on the clock.
Jordan hit a pull-up jumper in the lane on the next Wildcat possession and UNH immediately called time out with 2:04 remaining.
Fairfield did not let the visitors get any closer the rest of the way, however, to secure the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Neither team shot well from the floor in the first half. UNH made 13 of 36 FGs (36.1%), including 5 of 18 3-pointers (27.8%), while Fairfield made 14 of 34 FGs (41.2%), including 5 of 17 3's (29.4%).
The Stags heated up in the second half by shooting 15 of 27 (55.6%) from the floor. UNH, meanwhile, was 8-for-28 (28.6%) in the last 20 minutes.
Both teams excelled at the foul line, where the Wildcats were 18-for 21 (85.7%) and the Stags went 11-for-12 (91.7%).
Fairfield had the edge in the paint (28-24) and on the fast break (8-0).
New Hampshire had a 13-5 advantage on the offensive glass, which resulted in a 15-3 edge in second-chance points.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Leissner became the fifth UNH Wildcat to record 750 career rebounds. His five against the Stags increased his career total to 753.
Leissner extended his program record of free throws made to 441.He is No. 2 in career free throws attempted (569); Billy Pappas (1952-552) holds the benchmark of 576.
Camara has recorded 10+ rebounds 9 of 13 games. He had a total of 25 boards in two games this week.
UNH used its eighth different starting lineup of the season with Stewart and Hopkins at guard and a frontcourt of Armstrong, Camara and Leissner.
The 78 points tied the highest total by a UNH opponent this season; Texas, Furman and Niagara also netted 78 points against the 'Cats.
Seven of UNH's 10 losses have been by 10 points or less.