NEW HAMPSHIRE (8-7, 1-1 America East)Last Game: New Hampshire 57, Maine 51 on 1/8/20
Last Game with SBU: Stony Brook 66, New Hampshire 64 on 2/16/19; UNH 13-30 on threes, three in the air at buzzer misfired
Checkmate Unofficial Line: Stony Brook -10.5
NET Ranking: Stony Brook 129, New Hampshire 243
KenPom Rating: Stony Brook 125, New Hampshire 278
KenPom Prediction: Stony Brook 74, New Hampshire 62
Olaniyi 1,000 Point Watch: 952
Listen/Watch:TV:
http://bit.ly/BBallGm18VidRadio:
http://wusb.fm/Notables:6-5/225 so F Nick Guadarrama 14.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, .523 FG%, .413 3-pt FG%
6-5/185 jr G Sean Sutherlin 14.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.0 spg, .497 FG%
6-7/200 so F Jayden Martinez 11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .350 3-pt FG%
6-5/200 jr G Josh Hopkins 10.5 ppg, team-high 36 threes
6-6/225 sr F Chris Lester 8.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg
On the surface, you might think that UNH has something cooking this season – five wins last season and already eight this year, and the core guys will be back for one more year, even two. And for a program that has next to no basketball tradition, I'm happy for Bill Herrion. Maybe he has something.
If you read up on UNH, there's one word you keep hearing – ugly. Playing ugly, winning ugly, we're tough, we're gritty, we battle, etc. They're hanging in there with what they have though.
Guadarrama's developed into a nice little player up there. I recall him being more like that offensive lineman who's on the basketball team to throw his weight around, but while he isn't somebody who can carry them a la Tanner Leissner (now in Germany's Bundesliga), he's proven that he can produce in the paint and on the perimeter. He's also an ironman, having played 35 or more minutes eight times this season. I'd love a guy like him on our team.
And then there's this kid Sutherlin, a product of mighty Sheridan College in Wyoming, where he spent the last two years. There can't be more than a few Minnesotans all time who have split time between Wyoming and New Hampshire for college. Maybe he's it. But if you look at him ...
... he looks like a solid piece. He had a 21-point, 20-rebound night in UNH's win over Bryant, and another 22 in their triumph over Bryant. Most of it's going to come around the rim. He's taken just 11 threes and shoots just 56 percent from the line. Per one story, he got no D-I or D-II offers out of high school, and UNH was his only D-I offer after two years of juco. I'll bet that Herrion is pleased with having looked past his flaws. More on Sutherlin:
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/college/unh-junior-college-transfer-sean-sutherlin-making-an-immediate-impact/article_a00cdc75-9865-5ae0-9b5a-51554e79f2e8.htmlThe rebounding numbers (14th nationally in margin) are impressive albeit slightly deceptive. They outboarded measly Curry 59-23, Maine Maritime 49-22 and barely D-I Central Connecticut State, Bryant and Maine by wide margins. And they've reversed the shooting numbers, defending much better and converting more on their own. And look at the assist numbers – 223-154 on the year.
There is a legitimate chance that we sleepwalk into this one. I'm not saying we lose, but with the win in Burlington, the SportsCenter highlights, and all that, I hope that we understand that it's still early January and we have to take care of business at home. Dream scenario is we do that and that UMBC knocks UVM down another notch.
Lastly, is radio really back?? It looks like they're lined up to do home games this winter. I do appreciate the postgame wrap and interview, and the play-by-play when I can't make a game.