LEE, N.H. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by offensive inefficiency, the Brown Bears secured a 59-47 victory over the New Hampshire Wildcats in a non-conference men’s basketball game Wednesday afternoon at a sparsely populated Lundholm Gym.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 302, saw both teams labor to find any consistent scoring rhythm. Brown improved its season record to 2-5, while New Hampshire fell to an identical 2-5 mark.

The contest was ultimately decided by Brown’s superior interior presence and a standout performance from Landon Lewis. The 6-foot-7 sophomore from Los Angeles was a force for the Bears, scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds in 31 minutes of action. His work in the paint was instrumental in Brown establishing a 28-20 advantage in points scored near the basket.

Brown never trailed, building a 33-29 halftime lead and then clamping down defensively in the second period. The Wildcats managed only 18 points after the break, their offensive woes encapsulated by a frigid 7-of-30 shooting performance from beyond the three-point arc for the game.

The Bears were only marginally better from the field, shooting 44 percent on 22-of-50 shooting, but it was enough on a afternoon where New Hampshire converted at a 30 percent clip, making just 18 of its 60 attempts.

Brady Loughlin provided crucial secondary scoring for Brown, matching Lewis’s 17 points. The 6-foot-5 guard from Wyckoff, New Jersey, added three rebounds and two blocks in his 20 minutes off the bench.

For the Wildcats, Jack Graham of Smithfield, Rhode Island, led the way with 14 points. Belal El Shakery, a 6-foot-8 forward from Alexandria, Egypt, contributed 10 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.

The game’s statistical profile underscored the sloppy, grind-it-out nature of the contest. Brown scored 59 points from 64 possessions, an offensive rating of 92.0, while New Hampshire was even less efficient, posting a rating of 68.2 by scoring 47 points from 69 possessions. Both teams struggled with ball security, combining for 27 turnovers.

New Hampshire did find some success in transition, outscoring Brown 15-5 in fastbreak points, but it was not enough to overcome their profound shooting struggles from all over the court. The Wildcats attempted only four free throws, making all of them, while Brown went 10 for 15 from the line.

Defensively, Brown’s length proved disruptive. The Bears registered eight steals and six blocks, with N’famara Dabo of Conakry, Guinea, swatting three shots and grabbing eight rebounds. Adrian Uchidiuno, a guard from Markham, Canada, was also key for Brown, chipping in 13 points.

The victory gives Brown a positive result as it looks ahead to a regional rivalry game at Rhode Island on Tuesday, Dec. 2. New Hampshire will attempt to regroup on the road, traveling to face Fairfield on Sunday, Nov. 30.