Men's Basketball Survives to Sweep UNH, Advances to 10-0 in America East Play
BOX SCORE
ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's basketball (15-7, 10-0 AE) got a scare from New Hampshire (13-10, 6-4 AE) on Wednesday night, but the Great Danes emerged victorious 63-62 at SEFCU Arena.
“I thought our guys did a nice job finding a way to win overall,” said head coach Will Brown. “I think when you get to conference play, you have games like this and good teams have to find a way to win them...but in the second half we lost our rhythm. It was one of those games you just find a way to win, you put it in your back pocket and you move forward.”
UAlbany started off the game on an 8-0 run, as UNH struggled to score early on. The Wildcats were missing their leading scorer Tanner Leissner, and went the first four minutes without a basket.
Five-straight points from Evan Singletary kept the Wildcats at bay, as Williams Gabriel brought UNH within five, 13-8. Wheeler Baker made his mark with a three two minutes later to extend the lead back to six, 16-10. Jacoby Armstrong scored six of UNH's first 10 points.
Baker's trey fueled a 9-0 run for the Danes mid-way through the first half. Ray Sanders scored four straight points, along with two free throws from Singletary. UAlbany lived at the free throw line in the first half, going 9-for-10 after entering the bonus with nine minutes on the clock.
After easing in to an 11-point lead with five minutes left in the half, New Hampshire made a 9-2 run to come within four, 31-27. UAlbany secured a 34-31 lead at the half, and out-rebounded UNH 22-13 in the first stanza.
New Hampshire tallied the first basket of the second half, but Sam Rowley responded on the other end. A three from Singletary put the Danes back up six, 39-33.
After Mike Rowley made his first basket of the night, UAlbany went cold from the field for four minutes. The Wildcats took their first and only lead at the 14:27 mark, 42-41. Sanders scored six points over the next 1:30 of the game to help put the Danes ahead 51-44.
Greig Stire backed down his defender for a dunk shortly after to give UAlbany a double-digit lead, 55-44 with nine minutes to play. Rowley converted on an and-one opportunity with 8:23 on the clock to cap a 12-0 Purple & Gold run.
But New Hampshire responded with a 14-0 run as UAlbany went scoreless for over seven minutes down the stretch. The Wildcats tied the game at 58 with 1:21 to play.
Singletary broke the drought with yet another clutch three, good for a 61-58 lead with just over one minute to go.
New Hampshire went 10-for-10 from the charity stripe in the last four minutes of the game, as the Danes repeatedly sent New Hampshire players to the line up by three.
UAlbany uncharacteristically missed four free throws in the final two minutes, but Baker went 2-for-2 with two seconds left to give UAlbany a 63-60 edge. The Wildcats made two more free throws but could not convert on a last-second shot.
Will Brown's squad advanced to 10-0 in league play, continuing its best America East start all-time. Sam Rowley finished with a UAlbany-best 17 points and eight rebounds. Ray Sanders had 13 points and six rebounds, while Evan Singletary recorded 15 points.
UAlbany men's basketball continues its America East schedule on Saturday for the annual Big Purple Growl, facing UMass Lowell (9-13, 3-6 AE) at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
