Leisnner Scores 21 in 71-60 AE Quarterfinal Loss at Hartford

Saturday, March 3

West Hartford, Conn.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

10-21, 6-10AE

University of Hartford

19-12, 11-5AE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

HARTFORD

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

Box Score

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

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 13^th 20-point game of the season (37^th 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.