Friday, October 27, 2017

#AEHoops 2017-18 Preview: New Hampshire





Twitter: @UNHMBB

2017-18 Coaches Projected Finish
Fifth Place

2017-18 KenPom Projected Conference Record
8-8, fifth

2016-17 Record
10-6 (5-3 road, 5-3 home), 4th in America East

2016-17 Attendance
762 average, 11,438 total

2016-17 PPG
73.2, 4th in America East

2016-17 Opp PPG
68.0, 4th in America East

2016-17 3 Point FG %
34.4%, 7th in America East

2016-17 FT %

71.5%, 4th in America East

2016-17 Rebound Margin
+4.4, 3rd in America East

2016-17 Assists Per Game
12.9, Tied for 4th in America East

2016-17 T/O Margin
-0.75, 5th in America East

New Hampshire who is coming off of a 10 win America East campaign looks to replace perimeter players Jaleen Smith and Daniel Dion. In Smith UNH loses their second leading scorer (15.9 ppg) and leading assist man (4.5 apg) in conference, while in Dion they lose their third leading scorer (15.1 ppg) and second leading assist man (2.8 apg) during America East play.

The Wildcats return the top frontcourt in the America East for the 2017-18 season, a unit that includes Tanner Leissner (19.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg), Iba Camara (10.9 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Jacoby Armstrong. The return of Armstrong from suspension gives the Wildcats a group that consists of the America East's second leading returning scorer, only player to average a double-double in conference last season and a stretch big who was UNH's third leading scorer and third leading rebounder in conference two seasons ago.

New Hampshire did an excellent job limiting their opponents offensive rebounds last season (21.8%, 1st in AE) during conference play, something they should also excel at in 2017-18 with their returning pieces. The obvious question for this Wildcats group is which players on the perimeter are able to replace the production of Smith and Dion.

Jordan Reed should see an increase in production, coming off a 2016-17 conference campaign that saw him hit 33.8% on 4.4 three point attempts per game. Reed already averaged 29.2 minutes per game in conference last season, but with the backcourt less crowded it can be expected that his overall shot attempts per game increases. A possible breakout candidate in the backcourt for the Wildcats is sophomore John Ogwuche who only averaged 9 minutes per game in conference. While his freshman shooting numbers weren't pretty (18.2% 3FG, 33.3% 2FG), he does appear to have the athletic ability and shooting stroke to turn the corner in a less crowded New Hampshire backcourt this season.

With Smith (37.3 mpg) and Dion (36.7 mpg) playing so many minutes in conference last season your guess is as good as mine at this point for how the Wildcats backcourt shakes out for 2017-18. If they can find any steady production on both the offensive and defensive ends to compliment their frontcourt this could be a very dangerous team in the America East.


What Arrives

#5 Mark Carbone (So) 6'2'' 180 pound guard. Will redshirt the 2017-18 season as a transfer from San Diego who averaged 2.8 points and 1.1 assists in 14.3 minutes per game during the 2016-17 season. Highlight Video 1

#13 Elijah Jordan (Fr) 6'1'' 105? pound guard. Without a weight listed on his official UNH page Elijah gets one made up. Averaged 8.2 points and 3.7 assists during his junior season at First Academy. Highlight Video 1

#15  Josh Hopkins (Fr) 6'5'' 290? pound guard. Another freshman without a weight listed, Josh averaged 15.5 points, 4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game his junior year at James B. Dudley High School. Signing Day Video 1Signing Day Video 2Hudl Higlights Page


What Returns

#0 Kijana Love (So) 6'1'' 170 pound guard. Averaged 1.4 points and 0.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game in conference as a freshman. One of 29 Texan's on the UNH roster.

#2 Darryl Stewart (R-Jr) 6'1'' 185 pound guard. Redshirted the 2016-17 season after arriving from Tyler Junior College where he averaged 9.5 points and 2.2 rebounds his sophomore year. Hudl Highlight Page



#3 Jacoby Armstrong (Gr) 6'7'' 230 pound forward. Redshirted the 2016-17 season due to suspension. Averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during 2015-16 conference play. His return gives New Hampshire the best front court in the America East heading into the 2017-18 season.

#4 Keon Burns (Gr) 6'4'' 205 pound guard. Averaged 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.6 minutes during conference play last season.

#10 John Ogwuche (So) 6'1'' 190 pound guard. Averaged 1.5 points and 1 rebound in 9 minutes during conference play. Appeared in 11 conference games, starting 4.

#11 Jordan Reed (Jr) 6'0'' 190 pound guard. Averaged 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 29.2 minutes during conference play. Averaged 1.5 made three pointers during conference play, second best on New Hampshire last season.

#12 Iba Camara (Sr) 6'9'' 230 pound forward. Averaged a double-double with 10.9 points and 10.0 rebounds in 26.6 minutes during conference play last season. Led the conference in rebounding last season and was the only player in the America East to average a double-double in conference play during the 2016-17 season.

#21 Tanner Leissner (Sr) 6'7'' 230 pound forward. Averaged 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 35.1 minutes during conference play last season. His 19.2 points per game is second best out of returning America East players for the 2017-18 season.

#22 David Watkins (Jr) 6'8'' 225 pound forward. Averaged 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 11.5 minutes during conference play last season. His favorite book is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid.


#23 Chris Lester (R-Fr) 6'6'' 225 pound forward. Redshirted the 2016-17 season. Averaged 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists his senior season at Standard of Excellence Academy. Favorite movie is Space Jam which came out roughly five months before he was born. Highlight Video 1Highlight Video 2



#32 Ken Uhlar (So) 6'6'' 215 pound forward. Appeared in 7 overall games, 3 in conference. Recorded 4 total points and 9 total rebounds in 31 minutes of game action. Is more of a smirk than smile kind of guy.

#44 Luke Rosinski (So) 6'8'' 235 pound forward. Appeared in 15 conference games, averaging 0.5 points and 0.7 rebounds in 7.2 minutes. Is more of a smile than a smirk kind of guy.

Coaching Staff

Bill Herrion - Head Coach, Twitter: @CoachBHerrion, maybe? If so he hasn't tweeted.
Ken Dempsey - Associate Head Coach
Chris Mohr - Associate Head Coach
Josh King - Assistant Coach
Jordan Bronner - Director of Basketball Operations

Fun Fact

New Hampshire is averaging 10.6 wins over their past three seasons in conference, impressive considering it's double their average of 5.3 wins in their three seasons prior to that.

UNH also never finished over .500 in league play during the KenPom era (beginning in 2001-02) prior to this current streak beginning in 2014-15. They did however finish 8-8 (.500 in 2005-06 and 2008-09).

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