University of New Hampshire Athletics

Photo by: Greg Greene
Leisnner Scores 21 in 71-60 AE Quarterfinal Loss at Hartford
3/3/2018 7:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) scored a game-high 21 points but the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team was edged 71-60 by the University of Hartford in Saturday afternoon's America East quarterfinal game at Chase Arena.
Leissner, named to the All-Conference First Team for the third straight year earlier this week, made 8 of 15 field goals, including 4 of 7 3-pointers, in 39 minutes. He also had six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and a steal. Josh Hopkins (Greensboro, N.C.), an All-Rookie Team honoree, was next with 11 points. Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal) narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Jordan Reed (Lucas, Texas) had seven points and game-high six assists.
John Carroll led a trio of Hawks in double digits with 21 points, including 11-for-13 from the foul line. J.R. Lynch and Jason Dunne scored 19 and 15 points, respectively.
UNH, the No. 6 seed by virtue of a 6-10 conference record, ends the year at 10-21. Hartford, the third seed following an 11-5 conference mark, advances to the semifinals with a 19-12 record.
THE DIFFERENCE
Leissner, named to the All-Conference First Team for the third straight year earlier this week, made 8 of 15 field goals, including 4 of 7 3-pointers, in 39 minutes. He also had six rebounds, two blocks, one assist and a steal. Josh Hopkins (Greensboro, N.C.), an All-Rookie Team honoree, was next with 11 points. Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal) narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Jordan Reed (Lucas, Texas) had seven points and game-high six assists.
John Carroll led a trio of Hawks in double digits with 21 points, including 11-for-13 from the foul line. J.R. Lynch and Jason Dunne scored 19 and 15 points, respectively.
UNH, the No. 6 seed by virtue of a 6-10 conference record, ends the year at 10-21. Hartford, the third seed following an 11-5 conference mark, advances to the semifinals with a 19-12 record.
THE DIFFERENCE
- Leading 59-57,Hartford closed the game on a 12-3 run the last 3:30 of the game to secure the victory.
GAME RECAP
- UNH held early leads of 3-2 and 4-3 on a Leissner 3-pointer and foul shot.
- Hartford scored eight consecutive points to surge ahead, 11-4, and the Hawks maintained the lead the rest of the first half.
- With UNH trailing 22-11, John Ogwuche (Makurdi, Nigeria) scored a transition layup and Camara hit a pair of foul shots to trim the deficit to 22-15 at 6:34.
- Hartford reestablished a double-digit lead, 28-18, but Leissner hit a long two-pointer from the top of the key and Reed made a layup in the closing seconds to lift the 'Cats within 28-22 at the half.
- New Hampshire opened the second half on a 9-3 run -- fueled by five points from Leissner -- to tie the score, 31-31, at 17:50.
- Carroll made two free throws to break a 35-35 tie at 14:40 and the Hawks led the rest of the way. He followed with a three-point play at 14:24 (Camara was whistled for his fourth foul on the play) and Dunne drilled a 3-pointer at 13:56 to quickly extend the margin to 43-35.
- UNH called a 30-second timeout, and Leissner connected from beyond the arc to end the 8-0 run and lift the Wildcats within 43-38 at 13:13.
- Hopkins' 3-pointer from the right corner narrowed the deficit to 45-41 at 11:13, but Jack Hobbs answered with a 3 and Lynch made one foul shot to quickly push the score to 49-41 at 10:34.
- Keon Burns (Beaverton, Ore.) connected on a 3-pointer from the left wing and a pair of Hopkins' free throws pulled UNH within 50-46 at 8:09.
- The Hawks once again had the answer with a 5-0 spurt that pushed the lead to 55-46 at the next media timeout (at 6:53).
- Hopkins hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key just 22 seconds later, and then the intensity intensified.
- Harftord's Travis Weatherington was called for a foul at 5:53 and Carroll was assessed a technical foul. Leissner missed both foul shots, however, but Hopkins hit another 3-pointer to close the 'Cats within 55-52 at 5:45.
- The Hawks once again inched away with consecutive baskets, but Burns connected again from behind the arc and Camara hit a pair of foul shots to advance the score to 59-57 at 3;54.
- Dunne's layup at 3:35 ignited a 6-0 run that was followed by Carroll's jumper on the right wing (at 2:50) and Lynch's fadeaway jumper (2:09).
- New Hampshire called its full timeout, and Leissner's putback trimmed the deficit to 65-59 at 1:50.
- Trailing 66-60 in the last minute, UNH missed a pair of 3-pointer and Hartford made 3 of 4 free throws to give the home team a 69-60 lead with 41.2 seconds on the clock.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- After shooting 36.4% in the first half, Hartford made 14 of 25 field goals (56.0%) in the second half to finish at 46.8% for the game.
- Neither team shot well from long distance as UNH went 10-for-30 from 3-point range and UH was 5 of 17.
- Hartford outscored the Wildcats 22-8 at the foul line. The Hawks also had a 22-16 edge in the paint.
- UNH had the slightest of advantages, 34-33, on the glass.
UNH NOTEBOOK
- The end of the 2017-18 season also marked the end of careers for seniors Jacoby Armstrong (Dallas, Texas), Burns, Camara and Leissner. Burns scored six points on a pair of 3-pointers. Armstrong finished with one point and four rebounds.
- Leissner extended his UNH record for career points to 1,962 with his 13th 20-point game of the season (37th career). He also holds the program record for free throws made (521) and attempted (675), as well as minutes (4,095). He is No. 3 in both rebounds (862) and games played (121).
- Camara extended his school record for career rebounds to 1,016. He tied the UNH record for career games played (122).
- Leissner finished the 2017-18 season with 581 points, which ranks sixth on UNH's list of single-season superlatives. His 153 free throws made is No. 2 to his own mark of 156 established last year. Leissner attempted 199 FTs as a senior, which ranks third, as does his 1,111 minutes.
- Camara pulled down 331 rebounds this season, which is No. 3 in school history.
- The senior class recorded 69 wins, the highest total by any class in program history.
- UNH had advanced to the semifinals each of the previous three years.
Team Stats
UNHMBB
HARTFORD
FG%
.344
.468
3FG%
.333
.294
FT%
.615
.786
RB
34
33
TO
12
10
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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