With the defeat, the Big Green (2-13, 0-1 Ivy) extended its current losing streak to eight games. UNH (7-8, 2-1 American East) secured its fourth win in its last five games after the weekend action.
"We're a lot better team than our record shows," Dave Rufful '12 said. "We've got to look for leadership. Alex [Barnett '09] has been doing that, but we need players to set up and rally with him."
Coming off a tough loss to Stony Brook last Tuesday, the Big Green looked to reshuffle its defensive strategy by limiting its opponent's three-point opportunities.
Dartmouth, however, was unable to keep pace with the Wildcats' perimeter offense, as UNH consistently hit from beyond the arc throughout the match, posting an impressive 44-percent shooting from long range. In addition, the Wildcats' defense smothered the Big Green sharp-shooters, allowing only three scores from deep.
"We played good 'D,' but they were able to hit three after three," co-captain Robby Pride '10 said. "I don't think chemistry or confidence is the issue, it's not letting the opponent get second chances."
Barnett led the Big Green with 16 points, despite shooting only 30 percent from the field, while teammate Marlon Sanders '09 chipped in with 14 points and six boards.
UNH's Tyrone Conley, who posted five baskets from beyond the arc, led all players with 17 points. Teammate Dane DiLiegro contributed 13 rebounds.
Neither team could hold onto the momentum at the start of the first half, as solid defense dominated on both sides of the court. With the score tied at four, the Wildcats began to pull away, scoring three times from long range and boosting an eight-point lead.
The Big Green responded with a run of its own, as Sanders and Rufful led a brief scoring surge that cut the Wildcat advantage to three.
Weakness in the Dartmouth defense, however, allowed UNH to regain its earlier momentum, as the Wildcats jumped ahead with a 7-0 run with 3:26 left in the first half.
Undeterred by the sudden energy swing, the Big Green fought back late, as Barnett powered the Dartmouth offense forward with seven straight points, including a crucial three-pointer that again cut the Wildcats' lead to three.
With seconds left in the first half, UNH battled fiercely for the last possession of the period, notching three offensive rebounds before Conley delivered a big three from the left wing at the buzzer.
At the break, UNH led Dartmouth 29-23.
The Wildcats carried over their first-half momentum to spark an 8-0 scoring run that gave UNH a formidable 14-point lead just three minutes into the period.
Dartmouth would soon bounce back with a 5-0 run. The Big Green momentum was quickly curbed, however, as UNH's sophomore guard Alvin Abreu sank another three for the Wildcats.
The game then became a back-and-forth affair, with the Big Green unable to cover theground lost during the opening minutes of the second half. After the Wildcats extended their lead to 15 with 8:32 left in the contest, Dartmouth engineered an 8-2 run that brought the Wildcat lead back to single-digits with five minutes left on the clock.
A consistent UNH offense stood up to the pressure, as the Wildcats made 10 of 12 free throw attempts in the final minutes of regulation and forced the Big Green to commit turnovers on the fast-break and take low-percentage shots from the post.
Despite the Big Green's best efforts to cut the deficit down the stretch, the resilient Wildcats defense held its own, barring any comeback opportunities with tight perimeter pressure.
The Big Green was evenly matched with the Wildcats in most statistical categories, including shooting percentage, free throws and rebounds, but there was a noticeable difference in three-point field goals, with the Wildcats outshooting the Big Green 24-9.
Kirk Crecco '12 remained confident that the team will pull out its slump, despite the Big Green's recent downfalls.
"The harder we work, the more we'll push each other," he said. "I think we just need to stay positive and not let [the loss] get to us. Eventually, everything's going to click."
Pride echoed the sentiments.
"I think we're real close to being a good team," he said. "We haven't been able to finish a full game. We need to play the opponent for 40 minutes."
After completing non-conference play at home, the Big Green will travel to Cambridge, Mass., Saturday, to square off against rival Harvard for the second time this season after suffering a one-point loss at home on Jan. 10. that ended with a controversial no-foul call.
The Dartmouth-Harvard matchup is scheduled to tip off a 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Dartmouth then begins its schedule of two-game weekends against Ivy League opponents on Jan. 30 and 31, with home games against perennial powerhouses Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.
Both games are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Leede Arena.
