Men Falter Against State Rivals, 69-59

Sunday, December 20

Durham, N.H.

3:30 p.m.

Dartmouth College

2-8

New Hampshire

4-4

Dartmouth

New Hampshire

Penn and Princeton Invade Leede This Weekend

12/20/2009 5:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

Boxscore

DURHAM, N.H. — Sophomore David Rufful had a career-high 18 points, the last seven in the final two-and-a-half minutes, but Tyrone Conley and Alvin Abreu scored 21 apiece to help the host New Hampshire Wildcats (4-4) hold off Dartmouth (2-8), 69-59, on Sunday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium.

New Hampshire remained perfect at home thanks to shooting 53.3 percent from the floor (24-of-45). Conley, who had 16 of his 21 points in the first half, hit eight of his 13 field goal attempts, including a trio of three-pointers. Conversely, Abreu scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, going 7-of-12 overall and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Rufful connected on a personal-best eight field goals, including his only three-point attempt, but Dartmouth was able to shoot just 38.1 percent (24-of-63). The Big Green turned the ball over a season-low eight times, however, and came up with seven steals, three by Rufful.

On the boards, the Wildcats enjoyed a 36-30 advantage, but their biggest edge came at the free throw line where they hit 17-of-26 (.654) compared to 9-of-11 (.818) for Dartmouth.

Trailing by 10 at 32-22 after a Conley bucket with 4:07 left in the half, Dartmouth scored the final eight points to claw back within two. Sophomore Kirk Crecco hit an eight-foot floater, freshman Mbiyimoh Ghogomu scored off his own miss and junior Ronnie Dixon drove for a pair of layups. The Big Green had a chance to take the lead at the buzzer, but senior Marlon Sanders' long three-point attempt only caught the front of the iron.

Dartmouth continued its run to start the second half as freshman Matt LaBove completed a three-point play. Abreu immediately answered with his own three-point play as the Wildcats quickly retook the lead. Two minutes later, Abreu canned a 15-footer to boost the UNH lead to four at 40-36.

Rufful came back with a quick bucket, and after a single Wildcat free throw, Sanders took it to the hole for a layup. The next time down the floor, Rufful gave the Big Green the lead on his fourth effort under the basket, making it 42-41. Ghogomu got into the act with a baseline jumper for Dartmouth's biggest lead of the game, 44-41.

The lead remained three with 12 minutes to play after the two teams traded baskets, but New Hampshire got a three-point play from center Dan DiLiegro and Conley's third trifecta of the game within a 40-second span. Those six points ignited a 13-2 run after which the Big Green would get no closer than six points, despite the final flurry from Rufful.

LaBove was Dartmouth's leading rebounder with six, while Rufful and Ghogomu each had five. Conley led all players with eight caroms for the Wildcats.

Dartmouth has one more game before Christmas, Tuesday night at home at 7 p.m. in Leede Arena against Colgate (0-9), whose game against Texas-San Antonio was postponed today due to snow. New Hampshire also plays Tuesday, traveling to Army for a game at 2 p.m.