New Hampshire

No. 3 UConn men’s basketball pulls away from New Hampshire with electric second half

Published

1 year ago

November 10, 2024

No. 3 UConn men’s basketball pulls away from New Hampshire with electric second half

It must be heartening for UConn fans to know that even when head coach Dan Hurley says the team played “below brand,” the Huskies can still win a game by almost 40 points.

The 92-53 final score doesn’t show it, but UConn had to scrap and claw its way to providing distance early from visiting New Hampshire on Saturday night in Hartford. It’s the second year in a row that the Wildcats were able to frustrate the Huskies, and for the second year in a row, UConn should come out better for it.

With the Huskies’ shooting taking that patented XL Center dip, they struggled to score in the first half. Credit to New Hampshire as well; the Wildcats’ on-ball defense was excellent, and they kept much better athletes in front of them.

UConn held serve defensively, showing the unity needed on the court to provide near flawless help. 1-on-1, Hurley was less pleased.

“That was clearly a below-standard performance for us in a number of ways, in particular on-ball defense,” Hurley told reporters after the game. “Offensively, I thought we were just scatterbrained, especially in the first half. It was typical of an early season performance.”

While the Huskies did enough to go to the locker room up 11, perhaps the team’s biggest flaw was also on display. Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. were responsible for the first four UConn fouls of the game, putting Hurley in a bind before the 10-minute mark. Jaylin Stewart, the de facto five in their absence, picked up the next two.

But the Huskies weathered it. More importantly, both UConn bigs were smarter and better in the second half. Johnson committed another late in the first, but didn’t foul again until 8:55 remaining in the game, ending the contest with four fouls, two points and one rebound. He now has nine fouls this season in 27 minutes played.

“I think he’s such a great guy and he wants to do well so badly that he’s pressing and he’s fighting for every inch and he’s playing with a level of desperation that’s admirable,” Hurley said. “But in playing with that level of desperation, he’s mauling people.”

Johnson’s subpar performance meant there was more pressure on Reed, and he posted an 11-and-8 stat line typical of his career so far.

The Huskies clung to a 10-point lead with 16:17 remaining in the game before UConn embarked on a 9-2 run, punctuated by a three from Jayden Ross.

Ross, who was a seldom-used freshman last year and had Hurley hyping him up in the preseason like he could be a lottery pick, delivered in his sophomore debut. After missing the season opener against Sacred Heart, Ross turned it on in the final 15 minutes, showing fans why Hurley said after the first game that he could have started.

“You saw the flurry,” Hurley said. “He’s a guy that I think is gonna be get a lot better.”

Ross shot 6-10 from the field (2-5 3PT) to finish with 14 points. He was also a team-best +34.

Also of note: Alex Karaban turned in his second straight All-American caliber performance. This time, it was 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. Filed under the “small sample size” category, it means Karaban is averaging 5.5 blocks per game, third-best in college basketball this season.

“Alex is playing the way a Big East Player of the Year is supposed to be playing,” Hurley added. “From a statistical standpoint, efficiency standpoint, but he’s also really leading. He’s been super vocal and doing everything we want him to do right now.”

Liam McNeeley turned in his second-straight double-double as well, posting 11 points and 10 rebounds in the second game of his career. He became the first Husky since Jeff Adrien in 2006 to open the season with consecutive double-doubles.

By the end of the game, the team-wide numbers didn’t look so bad either. They shot better than 50% from the field (32-63) and while 32% from three isn’t great, they were 7-15 in the second half.

The Huskies return to the court on Wednesday when they host Le Moyne, Division I’s best team that’s based in Syracuse, New York. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. and it will air on FS1.

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New Hampshire

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Published

45 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Local News

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” said the family of the victim.

A new photo has been released of the victim in a nearly 30-year-long unsolved murder case, in the hope of finding any new potential witnesses in the cold case, New Hampshire officials said.

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” the family of Rosalie Miller said in a press release. “We miss her and want to give her peace.”

Miller was last seen on December 8, 1996 at her apartment in Manchester. At the time of her disappearance, Miller had plans on meeting friends in the Auburn, New Hampshire area, officials said.

Her body was found on January 20, 1997 in a partially wooded spot on a residential lot along the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn, officials said in the release.

The autopsy report declared Miller’s death a homicide by asphyxiation due to ligature strangulation, N.H. officials wrote.

As part of a new effort to garner public help with the case, an “uncirculated” photo of Miller, 36, is being distributed “in hopes it may jog the memory of someone who saw or spoke with her in the winter of 1996,” Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall announced on behalf of the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit in a joint press release.

Investigators are especially hoping to talk to anyone who was in contact with Miller in December of 1996 or anyone “who may have seen her in the vicinity of the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn during that time,” officials said in the release.

The newly released photo of Rosalie Miller, 36, who was strangled to death nearly 30 years ago. – Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall

“We are releasing this new photograph today because we believe someone out there has information, perhaps a detail they thought was insignificant at the time, that could be the key to solving this case and bringing justice for Rosalie and those who loved her,” Senior Assistant Attorney General R. Christopher Knowles, New Hampshire Cold Case Unit Chief said in the release.

The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit encourages anyone with any amount of information to contact the group at [email protected] or (603) 271-2663.

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New Hampshire

Former president of NH-based charity sentenced after stealing $350K

Published

13 hours ago

March 1, 2026

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Former president of NH-based charity sentenced after stealing 0K

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New Hampshire

Mass. man struck by car, seriously injured on I-93 in Londonderry, NH

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Mass. man struck by car, seriously injured on I-93 in Londonderry, NH

A Massachusetts man was flown to the hospital after he was struck by a car when he stepped out of his vehicle in the breakdown lane of Interstate 93 in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Saturday morning.

State police say 40-year-old Felix Matos Medina, of Lawrence, had stopped on the right side of I-93 south at Exit 5 just before 11 a.m. to investigate a possible mechanical issue. He was struck shortly after he stepped out of his vehicle by a Chevrolet Malibu and sustained serious injuries.

Medina was taken by medical helicopter to Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Mass., police said. There was no immediate update on his condition.

I-93 southbound was closed near Exit 5 for about 30 minutes to facilitate the medical helicopter’s landing. One lane remained closed for several hours to accommodate crash reconstruction and on-scene investigation.

The driver who struck Medina, identified as David Jodoin, stopped at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, according to police. No charges have been filed at this time, but all aspects of the crash remain under investigation at this time.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Evan Puopolo at 603-451-9784.

State police are also reminding all New Hampshire drivers that Sherrill’s Law requires motorists approaching a stopped vehicle displaying warning signals to slow down and give plenty of space. Drivers are also required to move out of partially or wholly blocked lanes when it’s safe to do so.

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