UConn Men’s Basketball Rolls Past New Hampshire, 91-66

Fresh off a four-day break for Thanksgiving, the UConn men’s basketball picked up right where they left off, taking down New Hampshire for an easy 91-66 win over the Wildcats at the XL Center in Hartford.

All five UConn starters reached double-figures in the win, led by Jalen Adams and Josh Carlton, who both scored 17 points. The duo combined to shoot 15-18 from the field, with Carlton adding six rebounds. Christian Vital led the team in rebounds with 10 and was second in scoring with 14 points. Tyler Polley (12 points) and Alterique Gilbert (11) were the other Huskies in double figures.

UConn (5-1) came out of the gates hot, shooting 55.8 percent in the first half to jump out ahead of New Hampshire, largely thanks to Polley, who scored 11 of his 12 points in the first 20 minutes. The Huskies pulled the trigger from deep often in the first half, making four of their 11 attempts.

As UConn tried to pull away, UNH stormed back to get within eight points after a layup from Elijah Jordan made it 31-23 UConn with 6:09 left in the half, but a pair of free throws from Josh Carlton helped put the Wildcats away for good. From there on out, the eight-point lead would be the Huskies’ smallest of the night as UConn finished the half on a 17-6 run to go up 48-29 through the first 20 minutes.

WATCH MORE UCONN POST-GAME VIDEO FROM DAN HURLEY AND CHRISTIAN VITAL

With the game in hand, the Huskies didn’t shoot the three as often, missing all five of their attempts in the second half. Instead, they chose to dominate New Hampshire down low, outscoring the Wildcats 54-24 in the paint on the day. Despite the struggles from three, the ability to score in the paint helped UConn shoot 48.4 percent from the field in the final frame, outscoring UNH 43-27 in the second half to seal the 91-66 victory.

Overall, UConn did most of the damage against the Wildcats with their starters, as just three bench players — Tarin Smith (20 minutes, seven points), Brendan Adams (20, six) and Kassoum Yakwe (10, one) — played 10 minutes and the unit overall was outscored by the UNH bench 23-20. Isaiah Whaley returned to action for the Huskies after missing the Cornell due to an ankle injury suffered earlier in the season, playing four minutes.

UConn returns to action next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. against UMass-Lowell at Gampel Pavilion. The matchup against the River Hawks will be the UConn debut for St. John’s transfer Sidney Wilson, who was suspended for the first six games of the season for an undisclosed violation of university policy.

Dan Hurley, Jalen Adams, Christian Vital postgame video

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• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog
• The New Hampshire Wildcats take on the UConn Huskies in a men’s college basketball game at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on November 24, 2018. Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog