By Edwards Kemedjio
The University at Albany Great Danes fell to the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on Saturday 68-56.
The Great Danes were coming off a tough home loss to UMBC on Thursday, whereas the Wildcats were coming off of an overtime win against Hartford.
The Great Danes’ offensive woes continued on Saturday night. After making only one field goal in the first ten minutes of action on Thursday, the team followed it up with another abysmal shooting night, shooting 30 percent from the field and going 3-21 from beyond the three-point line.
The Wildcats shot 45 percent from three-point range compared to UAlbany’s 14 percent.
Similar to Thursday’s game, shooting wasn’t the only problem for the Great Danes against UNH. Defense and rebounding, especially in the second half, continued to be an issue.
“We gotta shoot the ball better, simple as it sounds it’s true,” said UAlbany Coach, Will Brown. “When you’re shooting as badly as we have the last two games you better defend and rebound better than we have.”
UNH guard Sean Sutherlin was clearly the best player on the floor in the game. He scored 18 points, and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
“They have the best rebounder in our league,” said Coach Brown when asked about Sutherlin. “He’s a guard, but he’s the best.”
Two adjustments were made to the starting lineup on Saturday. Star guard Cameron Healy was reinserted into the starting five as he worked his way back from injury, and Sasha French got the starting nod at center.
Healy’s offensive woes continued, as he shot 3-12 from the field and 0-6 from three-point range. Sasha French scored six and showed flashes on some early post up opportunities but struggled defensively.
“At some point we need to drive the mismatch,” said Coach Brown when asked about Healy, and the team’s woes. “Not just back up and shoot it over someone who’s 6 feet 8 inches.”
Ahmad Clark, who was honored at the game for being the eighth UAlbany player to tally 1000 points in his career, was the lone bright spot on offense. Though he didn’t have much room to operate as the defense locked in on him, he managed to draw 12 fouls and shot 13-18 at the free throw line.
“We just need to stick together as a team…[we’re] not playing hard enough,” Clark said, when asked about the team’s struggles.“It’s very frustrating, but I try to forget about it after the game and learn from it, figure out how to get better.”
“Ahmad is giving us everything he’s got,” said Coach Brown when asked about Clark’s performance. “A lot is being asked of him right now.”
The Great Danes look to get right offensively and shake off the shooting woes on Wednesday as they go on the road to UMass Lowell in search of a win.