Kennedy Nets Team-High 15 Points in Loss to UMBC

Saturday, February 14

Durham, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

8-16,4-7America East

UMBC

16-8,9-2America East

UMBC

New Hampshire

Photo by: Lucy Olson

2/14/2026 6:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Redshirt freshman guard R.J. Kennedy (Fayetteville, Ga.) scored a team-high 15 points Saturday in the University of New Hampshire men's basketball team's 85-63 loss to UMBC at Lundholm Gym.

Kennedy had an impressive shooting day as he made 4 of 5 field goals, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range, and made all four free throw attempts.

Junior guards Comeh Ebuobor (Raleigh, N.C.) and Jack Graham (Smithfield, R.I.) both scored 13 points while redshirt sophomore forward Belal El Shakery (Alexandria, Egypt) pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.

UMBC's DJ Armstrong and Jah'Likai King led five Retrievers who scored in double digits with 17 points apiece. The were followed by Caden Diggs (15), Josh Odunowo (12) and Ace Valentine (10).

UNH moves to 8-16 overall and 4-7 in America East while UMBC is now 16-8, 9-2.

UP NEXT
·     UNH returns to action Feb. 19 at UMass Lowell.
·     The Wildcats' next home game is Feb. 21 (4pm) against Maine for a Buffalo Wild Wings Border Battle at Lundholm Gym.
·     It is Family Day and the Campus Race to Zero Waste.
·    CLICK HERE to buy tickets online -- including the Lunholm Loft, where you can enjoy elevated drinks and eats in elevated seats -- or call (603) 862-4000.

FIRST HALF

UMBC raced out to a 16-0 lead as the Retrievers led wire-to-wire.
Sophomore John Squire (Sausalito, Calif.) hit his third 3-pointer of the season to get UNH into the scoring column at 14:01.
UMBC extended the lead to 20 points, 27-7, at 10:41 before UNH surged within seven points.
Davide Poser (Veneto, Italy) and Emuobor hit consecutive 3-pointers to trim the deficit to 29-17 at 8:43.
Kennedy's first 3-pointer of the game sliced the margin to single figures, 31-22, at 7:09 and then Emuobor hit two foul shots to pull the 'Cats within 31-24 at 6:40.
UMBC responded with a 12-0 run to quickly push the advantage to 43-24 at 3:00, and the Retrievers took a 19-point lead, 47-28, into halftime.

SECOND HALF

King scored the first points of the second half on pull-up jumper in the paint to give the visitors a 21-point lead and the margin hovered in the 20's the rest of the game.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Kennedy's 15 points was one less than his personal best of 16 scored Nov. 12, 2025 against Emmanuel College.
Junior guard KiJan Robinson (Apopka, Fla.) led the 'Cats with four assists.
El Shakery has six games of 10+ rebounds this season and seven career.
He finished Saturday's game with 14 rebounds, seven points, two assists and two steals.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH scored one second-chance point on nine offensive rebounds. UMBC pulled down six offensive rebounds for six second-chance points.
UMBC outscored UNH 34-26 in the paint.
The Retrievers had a 34-32 rebounding advantage.
UNH made eight 3-pointers on 30 attempts (38.2%). UMBC was 9-for-24 (37.5%) from 3-point range.
The Retrievers went 16-for-19 at the foul line, whereas the 'Cats made 13 of 20 free throws.