Second-Half Surge Carries UConn Past Wildcats, 88-62

Sunday, December 22

Hartford, Conn.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-6,0-0America East

UConn

8-3,0-0AAC

New Hampshire

UConn

Photo by: Brian Foley

12/22/2019 3:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Nick Guadarrama (Newington, Conn.) scored 19 points but the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team was defeated 88-62 by the University of Connecticut in Sunday afternoon's matchup at the XL Center.

UNH moves to 6-6 and UConn, which outscored the Wildcats 48-26 in the second half, is now 8-3.

UP NEXT / NEXT HOME GAME: UNH returns to action Dec. 30 (2 p.m.) at home against intrastate rival Dartmouth College.

BUY TICKETS: Tickets for a UNH men's basketball game start as low as $3 and can be purchased by calling (603) 862-4000, visiting the Whittemore Center Box Office or by going online to www.unhwildcats.com.

FIRST HALF

* UNH went on an 8-0 run to take a 10-5 lead. Guadarrama made a layup and then a 3-pointer, and Chris Lester (Barrington, Ill.) also hit a 3-ball to give the Wildcats that five-point lead at 16:25.

* UConn inched within 10-9, but then the Wildcats went on another 8-0 run -- this time fueled by 3-pointers from Mark Carbone (Wethersfield, Conn.) and Jayden Martinez (Cibolo, Texas) -- to build an 18-9 lead at 12:31.

* The Huskies scored the next consecutive 15 points, however, to take a 24-18 lead at 7:55.

* Josh Hopkins (Greensboro, N.C.) made a turnaround jumper on the left baseline to end the run, then hit a 3-pointer from the right corner to lift the 'Cats within 27-23 at 6:24.

* The teams exchanged scores the rest of the half, the last of which was Martinez's 3-pointer from the right wing with four seconds on the clock to advance the score to 40-36 (in advantage of the home team) going into halftime.

SECOND HALF

* UConn's 10-1 run the opening 3:13 of the second half extended the margin to double digits for the first time in the game at 50-37.

* Martinez drained a 3-pointer from the left corner to trim the deficit to 10 points, 54-44, at 14:00.

* The Huskies pushed the advantage to 20 points, 70-50, at 8:04.

UNH NOTEBOOK

* New Hampshire has alternated wins and losses the past nine games.

* The 88 points are the most allowed by the Wildcats this season.
* Martinez tallied 14 points and six rebounds.
* Sean Sutherlin (New Brighton, Minn.) finished with nine points, seven rebounds and five assists.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

* UConn was led by Alterique Gilbert (21 points), Christian Vital (15), James Bouknight (14) and Akok Akok (12).

* UConn made 17 of 26 second-half field goals (65.4%) in comparison to UNH's 8-for-23 (34.8%).

* The Wildcats made six of their seven 3-pointers in the first half. The 'Cats were 1 of 7 from long range in the second half.

* UConn shot 54.5% (30-55) from the floor in the game. UNH shot 40.8% (20-49).

* UConn recorded a 34-27 rebounding advantage that included 7-6 on the offensive glass.

* UNH committed 17 turnovers to UConn's 10.

* UConn had the scoring edge in the paint (30-22), on fastbreaks (15-11), on second chances (5-2) and off turnovers (18-9).

SERIES NOTEBOOK

* This was the 119th meeting between the UNH and UConn men's basketball program. UConn leads the series 94-25.

* UConn has won each of the last 11 meetings.

* This was just the fifth matchup in the tenure of UNH head coach Bill Herrion (2005-06 to present).