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New Hampshire (4-2)
#256 in KenPom
#256 in KenPom
This year’s stat highlights:
- 30th in the nation in opp. 3P% (26%) and 40th in 3PA/FGA (31%)
- Translation, excellent perimeter defense
- 71st in the nation in 3PA/FGA (42.9%), but just shooting 31.1% (211st)
- ~80th in the nation in both offensive and defensive tempo
- #1 in nation in preventing non-steal/block TOs, but 13th worst team at steal % and 299th in block %, offensively
- ~median nationally at 2P% (50.6%), A/FGM (47.7%) and FTA/FGA (31.1%)
- 263rd at offensive rebounding rate
Season so far:
- 72-83 L to Syracuse (KP 128)
- 115-38 W to Curry (D3)
- 82-64 W to Brown (KP 243)
- 67-79 L to GW (KP 141)
- 74-71 W to Marist (KP 268)
- 83-80 W to Fairfield (KP 297)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Ahmad Robinson 5’10 172 junior (transfer from Western Texas JUCO)
- 15.2p, 3.2r, 4.8a, 47.4 2P%, 2.7 3PA, 25 3P%, 5.3 FTA, 78.1 FT%, 1.8s
Naim Miller 6’4 205 grad (transfer from Edinboro (D2)
- 10p, 2.8r, 1.2a, 2.2 3PM, 40.7 3P%, 2/3rds FGAs from deep
Trey Woodward 6’6 196 sophomore
- 6.0p, 4.5r, 1.5a, 66.7 2P%, 1.7 3PA, 30 3P%, 0.8 FTA, 2/3rds FGAs from 2
Clarence Daniels 6’6 210 fifth-year returnee
- 20.8p, 9.0r, 1.7s, 1.8 3PM, 6.2 FTA, 54.2 2P%, 39.3 3P%, 75.7 FT%, 1.7s
Jaxson Baker 6’8 215 fifth-year returnee
- 11.2p, 7.0r, 1.3b, 2.0 3PM, 36.4 3P%, 2/3rds FGAs from 3, 75 FT%,
OFF-THE-BENCH PIECEs THAT PLAYS CLOSE TO STARTER’S MINUTES
Rex Sunderland 6’4 190 sophomore
- 4.2p, 2.5r, 1.2a, 1.3s, 29.4 3P%, ¾ FGAs from three
Christian Moore 6’1 180 sophomore
- 7.0p, 2.2a, 47.4 2P%, 36.8 3P%, ½ shot attempts from 3, 1.0 FTA
- Paul Gakmar 6’8 185 junior (Hillsborough CC transfer)
- Athletic, backup ⅘. Versatile defender. Shot 36.1% in JUCO
- Dior Davis 6’2 170 sophomore (Ellsworth CC transfer)
- Backup. Over a dozen of D1 offers out of HS. In JUCO, Davis was an aggressive two-way combo guard who penetrated well but struggled w/ his shot (27.4 3P%)
- Davide Poser 6’4 205 freshman from Italy
- Played professionally for Bernareggio in Italy’s Series B
- All of FGAs this year are from three
KEY INJURIES
- Ridvan Tutic 6’10 242 sophomore, 19.3 mpg last season, out for the year
Deciding to move on from Bill Herrion after eighteen years at the helm, which was a respectable, but fruitless tenure following no America East regular season or conference tournament championships, New Hampshire made a somewhat splashy hire bringing over Nathan Davis from Bucknell.
Although Davis’ last four seasons at Bucknell did not impress (40-70 overall record), his first three seasons yielded two Patriot League tournament championships and two Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. For those who remember, both of Bucknell’s NCAA tournament appearances under Davis were competitive, single-digit pointt defeats against West Virginia and Michigan State.
The biggest change from the Herrion-Davis transition is Davis’ instant instillation of pace even, though he and his staff were able to retain a large portion of last year’s team – led by fifth-year returnee and America East First Team All-Conference selection, Clarence Daniels. More on him later.
In addition to their pace, the Wildcats’ starting lineup feature five guys who are comfortable shooting and handling the ball, providing New Hampshire with a variety of ways they can score.
Daniels is a true two-way star at the mid-major level, who, at 6’6 210 plays a combo forward role alongside either 6’8 215 stretch forward Jaxson Baker or 6’8 185 bouncy two-way forward Paul Gakmar.
Offensively, Daniels is a true three-level scoring lefty who is strong, shifty and has enough handle to break down to create his own offense or lead a transition break. If there’s one weakness of his offensive game is that he can get a bit black-holeish with the ball, so Davis is trying to foster his ability as a distributor. Daniels is also UNH’s best defender, whose physicality, athleticism and general awareness makes him dangerous on both on-ball and in help situations.
Similar to Manhattan’s Jaden Winston, Ahmad Robinson is an undersized PG who is pound-for-pound the toughest player on the court and is more comfortable scoring off the dribble and inside the arc. In the Fairfield game, he was most effective as a scorer and a penetrator, but he tended to hold onto the ball too long, eschewing the simple play or dishing when it was the smart move to play. Bulldog mentality, but too many turnovers.
To sum it up, New Hampshire’s offense revolves around a two-man game between Daniels and Robinson, so both rank in the top-40 nationally in usage rate.
On the offensive end both Baker and Naim Miller are perimeter weapons who take approximately two-thirds of their shot attempts from three and shoot north of 37%. Out of the two, Baker will be a major defensively liability against UConn’s bigs: Baker is a capable rim-protector, back lacks quickness and strength to handle true bigs.
Out of their starters,Trey Woodyard is a low usage, but efficient interior scorer and has arguably the highest BBIQ on the offensive end, but ranks dead last in defensive efficiency metrics and has been critqued by Coach Davis for being too passive, at times.
Off the bench, sophomores Christian Moore and Rex Sunderland are frequently used guards with Moore making his first career start on last night against Fairfield. With a much lower turnover rate than Robinson, Moore is a candidate to earn more playing time with both point guards playing close to similar minutes last night. In addition to his higher efficiency, Moore is a more versatile defender. To sum it up, Robinson brings more pop and fireworks while Moore is the steadier guard.
Sunderland’s size, strength and awareness makes him one of UNH’s better defensive guards and is an unselfish perimeter shooter and distributor. At this point in his career, Sunderland is best characterized as a high-rotation three-and-D bench guard.
As the lighter end of the non-conference schedule is starting to wind down, New Hampshire, like Manhattan, is best categorized as a well-coached, solid program within their respective conferences, but are still overmatched by UConn. That being said, there is certainly a benefit against playing well-coached teams, especially one with the unselfish pace of New Hampshire. At the very least, it’s rare to find a “tune up” non-conference game that features a star as talented as Clarence Daniels. It’ll be exciting to see how Alex Karaban will step up and defend Daniels, especially after an excellent defensive game from him against Manhattan.
