Ogwuche Scores Career-High 17 in 67-56 Loss to Vermont

Thursday, January 18

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

7-12, 3-2AE

University of Vermont

15-5, 5-0AE

VERMONT

New Hampshire

Photo by: Joey Walker

1/18/2018 10:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Video Highlights Postgame Presser

DURHAM, N.H. – John Ogwuche (Makurdi, Nigeria) scored a career-high 17 points for the University of New Hampshire, but the University of Vermont outscored the hosts 42-29 in the second half to rally for a 67-56 victory in Thursday night's men's basketball game at Lundholm Gym.

Ogwuche scored 12 of his personal-best 17 points in the second half, when he shot 3-for-6 from the floor, including 2 of 3 on 3-pointers, as well as 4-for-4 from the foul line.

Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half. Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal) pulled down a game-high nine rebounds; he will tie the UNH record for career rebounds with three more.

UVM was led by Trae Bell-Haynes, who scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the second half to lead the Catamounts' surge. Ernie Duncan netted 17 points.

UNH, which entered the game on a three-game win streak, is now 7-12 overall and 3-2 in America East. UVM has now won eight straight both in this series and this season to improve to 15-5, 5-0.

LOOKING AHEAD

New Hampshire returns to action Jan. 21 (1 p.m.) at home against Stony Brook University for Youth Day.
Tickets for all home games are available online at www.unhwildcats.com or by calling (603) 862-4000.

THE DIFFERENCE

Vermont made 13 of 20 field goals (65.0%) and 13 of 15 free throws (86.7%) in the second half to score 42 points after halftime. The Catamounts shot 36.0% from the floor (9-25) in the first half.
It was the reverse for UNH, which shot 48.0% from the floor (12-25) in the first half and 33.3% (9-27) in the second.

GAME RECAP

Leissner hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of the game to spark a 5-1 game-opening run for the Wildcats.
UVM responded with five consecutive points to take its first lead of the game, 6-5, at 15:49.
Ogwuche's three-point play put New Hampshire back in front, 8-6, at 15:18, but Ernie Duncan responded with a layup and Drew Urquhart connected from beyond the 3-point arc to give the Catamounts an 11-8 lead at 13:36.
Camara and Leissner hit jumpers and then Leissner's layup and a jump shot by Elijah Jordan (Orlando, Fla.) gave UNH a 16-11 lead at 10:07.
The visitors responded with a 7-2 run to tie the score, 18-18, at 6:51.
The teams trades scores and Leissner broke a 25-25 tie with 1:27 on the clock to send the Wildcats into halftime with a two-point lead.
Another jumper by Jordan extended the advantage to five points, 33-28, at 18:04 of the second half.
A three-point play by Bell-Haynes forged the fifth tie of the game, 33-33, at 17:01 and his layup on the Catamounts' next possession put the visitors back ahead.
Camara's three-point play knotted the score at 39 with 15:06 to play, but Henson hit two fouls shots at the other end of the court and Vermont led the rest of the way.
The Catamounts slowly pulled away and extended the advantage to double digits, 54-42, on Duncan's 3-pointer at 8:02 and the margin never got back to single figures.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

There were six tie scores and five lead changes with four ties and four lead changes in the first half alone.
Leissner played all 40 minutes for the third time the past four games and fourth time overall this season.
UNH held the opposition below its scoring average for the sixth consecutive game; Vermont scored 67 points in comparison to its season average of 76.5.
UVM was 16 of 20 from the foul line in comparison to UNH's 9-for-10.
The rebounds were even at 28. New Hampshire entered the game No. 6 in the nation in rebound margin (+9.6) and No. 15 in rebounds (41.0 per game).
New Hampshire made a season-low five 3-pointers on a season-low 23.8% from 3-point range.
UNH scored a season-low 56 points.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Leissner climbed to No. 22 on the America East record book for career points with 1,755. (Mike Ferrara is No. 21 at 1,763)
Leissner extended his UNH record for free throws made to 482 and his benchmark for free throw attempts to 622; he was 1-for-2 vs. UVM.
Leissner also advanced to No. 5 on the Wildcats' leaderboard for career minutes at 3,656.
After missing three games because of injury, Jordan Reed (Lucas, Texas) came off the bench and played 10 minutes. He did not score a point (0-4 FGs) and pulled down one rebound.