Leissner's 24 Points Keeps Home Playoff Hopes Alive in 78-67 Win at Lowell

Wednesday, February 22

Lowell, Mass.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

18-11, 9-6AE

UMass Lowell

11-20, 5-11AE

New Hampshire

UMass Lowell

Photo by: Joey Walker

Leissner's 24 Points Keeps Home Playoff Hopes Alive in 78-67 Win at Lowell

2/22/2017 9:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Interview

LOWELL, Mass. – Junior Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team (18-11, 9-6 AE) to a 78-67 win over UMass Lowell (11-20, 5-11 AE) at the Tsongas Center Wednesday Night.

NEXT HOME GAME
New Hampshire closes out the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 25 (1 PM) on Senior and Alumni Day. Help the Wildcats honor the current seniors and former student-athletes. Tickets are available HERE.

HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Jordan Reed (Lucas, Texas) finished with a career-high 15 points on a personal-best five threes.
Senior Jaleen Smith (Freeport, Texas) tallied 18 points and six rebounds in 40 minutes.
New Hampshire shot 51.6 percent from the field in the first half, including 8 of 14 3-pointers.
The Wildcats hit 12 of 17 free-throw attempts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a 41-33 lead after the first half, UMass Lowell stormed back to tie it up at 55 apiece halfway through the second half. UNH retook the lead on a bank 3-pointer from Reed to beat the shot clock. The Wildcats held a 4-point cushion until the final three minutes when the Wildcats went on a 11-2 run to seal the deal and keep the playoff hopes alive.

New Hampshire jumped out to a 14-2 lead on four threes and a jumper led by Leissner with five points. UNH hit 5 of 6 field goals in the opening 4:20. UNH controlled most of the first half and held a 38-20 lead with three minutes to play in the opening period. The River Hawks then score seven straight points from a Tyler Livingston 3-pointer and four points from Jahad Thomas. Following a Leissner lay in and free throw, Thomas buried a UML 3-pointer, his second on the season, and Matt Harris hit a buzzer beater to head into the locker room with a 41-33 deficit.

-POSTGAME NOTES-
UNH STARTERS (SEASON/CAREER STARTS)
Sr. G Jaleen Smith (29/101)
Sr. G Daniel Dion (29/62)
Jr. G Jordan Reed (24/24)
Jr. F Tanner Leissner (29/83)
Jr. F Iba Camara (24/61)

GROUP'S RECORD: 11-9

SERIES INFO
New Hampshire pushes its series lead to 6-1 and has won the last five games.

ATTENDANCE: 3,779

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Tanner Leissner: 24 points / 7 rebounds / 2 assists / 10 of 16 shooting
Jaleen Smith: 18 points / 6 rebounds / 3 assists
Jordan Reed: 15 points / 3 rebounds / 5 of 7 on 3's

Jahad Thomas: 23 points / 4 rebounds / 2 assists / 10 of 14 shooting
Ryan Jones: 21 points / 4 rebounds / 2 assists / 10 of 21 shooting