BALTIMORE, Md.- The Hartford women's basketball team secure the second seed in the upcoming America East Championship at Albany with a 69-62 victory in their final road contest of the season at UMBC on Wednesday afternoon. Leading the way for the Hawks was senior Nikkia Smith who finished with her second career double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Hartford (18-10 overall, 9-6 America East) finished the night shooting 40 percent from the field (24-of-60), including a 50 percent second half effort (14-of-28). The Hawks also finished 8-of-23 from beyond the arc for 34.8 percent and closed out the game shooting 59.1 percent from the free throw line on 13-of-22.

Following Smith in leading the Hawks was sophomore Shanise Bultron who finished with her second game in double figures this season with 12. All 12 of her points came from beyond the arc as she finished 4-of-10 from long range, highlighted by 3-of-4 in the second half. Smith's 11 rebounds helped lead Hartford to a 46-34 advantage on the boards.

The Hawks jumped out to an early 7-2 lead with three players in on the early scoring, led by Daphne Elliott with her first of two three's in the opening half. After a pair of free throws provided a 9-5 Hawks cushion, the Retrievers managed back-to-back baskets to tie the game for the second time at nine. All four of those points came from Kristen Coles, with the second basket a put-back attempt.

Leading by one with 13:23 to play before the break, the Hawks used a 13-2 run to take their largest lead of the half 24-12 with 10:25 remaining. In that run, Elliott completed a three-point play while Bultron and Alyssa Englert each hitting three pointers. The second from Englert was a second chance opportunity for the Hawks.

After chipping the lead down to 12 with 8:09 remaining in the half, the Retrievers knit together an 11-0 run that spanned more than six minutes and resulted in a third tie of the half at 28 with 1:24 remaining. A jump shot from Katie Roth would break the Retrievers momentum, but that basket was answered 17 seconds later by Ashley Lambert.

The Hawks would end the first half scoring with a three pointer, the second of the half from Elliott, with 25 seconds remaining. After forcing a Retrievers turnover, a half-court shot as time expired was off the mark as the Hawks took a 33-30 advantage into the locker room.

At the intermission, Elliott led Hartford with nine points on 3-of-6 from the field, including 2-of-4 at the free throw line. Hartford finished the half shooting 31.3 percent overall (10-of-32) and made four of their 14 three point attempts (28.6 percent). The Hawks also finished 9-of-11 at the free throw line.

UMBC came out of the break and tied the score just nine seconds in with a three pointer from Crowell. After trading the next three baskets, resulting a 38-35 Hartford lead, the Retrievers rattled off seven straight to take their first lead of the game 42-38 with 13:59 remaining. The lead came courtesy of another three pointer from Crowell, her second of four in the half.

The Hawks responded to their first deficit by scoring the next nine and regaining a 47-42 advantage with 10:41 remaining. Included in that run was the first of three second half three pointers from Bultron who made her first three attempts from long range in the second 20 minutes. UMBC would then score back-to-back baskets to cut its deficit to one 47-46 with 9:29 remaining.

Bultron would answer for the Hawks by hitting her second three pointer, this one from the corner. That three from Bultron was the first three points in what resulted in an 8-2 run and a 55-48 Hartford lead. UMBC wasn't going to let up, scoring back-to-back three pointers from Crowell, both 32 seconds apart, to pull back within a point 55-54.

Those two three pointers from Crowell were the first two of just three field goals in the final eight minutes.  A three pointer from Amber Bepko regained a four-point lead for Hartford, 58-54, with 6:32 remaining.

In the final four minutes, the Hawks used a stretch of nine of the 11 points to secure the victory. That run ended with a 69-60 lead with under a minute remaining. The Retrievers would net the final basket of the game on a layup with 37 seconds remaining from Coles.

Hartford will host the Vermont Catamounts on Sunday afternoon in their regular season finale. The Hawks and Catamounts are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. tip at the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion. Prior to the game, Hartford will honor their four seniors; Alex Hall, Daphne Elliott, Ruthanne Doherty and Nikkia Smith.