PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Nikkia Smith led all players with 14 points as the Hartford women's basketball team posted a 65-50 victory over the Binghamton Bearcats (4-19, 3-7 America East) on Wednesday night at the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion. Joining Smith in leading the Hawks (15-8, 6-4 America East) was sophomore Amber Bepko who finished with 12 points.

As a team, Hartford finished the night shooting 40 percent from the field (26-of-65), including making five of their 15 three point attempts (33.3 percent). The Hawks did struggle at the free throw line where they made just 53.3 percent of their 15 attempts (eight). Individually, Sophomore Cherelle Moore led the shooting efforts as she made four of her five total attempts. She finished the game with nine points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and a steal, all in 20 minutes off the bench.

Smith would finish the contest making 7-of-13 from the field, while Bepko finished 5-of-14, including 2-of-7 from long range. Also among the scoring leaders was Katie Roth who finished with seven points to go along with a team-best seven rebounds. Her seven boards tied with junior Taylor Clark in leading the Hawks as they finished with a 41-26 advantage on the boards, including an 18-4 differential in offensive rebounds. The 18 offensive boards for Hartford is a season best as the Hawks turned those rebounds into 15 second chance points.

Hartford also finished with a season high 18 assists among their 26 total baskets. Individually Bepko and Alyssa Englert led the Hawks with four assists each. Defensively, Hartford forced 22 Binghamton turnovers, registering 13 led by Bepko who finished with a season best for all players of six.

Hartford came out of the gates strong opening up an early 5-0 lead and extending it to an 8-2 advantage before the Bearcats began to heat up. In the opening run, four different players provided the offense with Bepko's first three pointer of the night leading the way. Following the six point lead, the Bearcats would score nine straight to take their first lead of the game, an 11-8 advantage thanks to a Vaneeshia Paulk three pointer with 9:46 left in the half.

A three pointer from Shanise Bultron, who started her first game of the season, broke a nearly seven minute drought for Hartford. Three lead changes would span the next five minutes before a jumper from Smith provided the go-ahead basket for Hartford at 14-13 with 3:26 remaining. The Hawks would not relinquish that lead and extended it to as much as seven before the intermission, with that lead possible thanks to another jumper from Smith with six seconds remaining.

With just over five minutes gone in the second half, the second three pointer from Bepko provided Hartford's first double digit lead of the night, 35-25 with 14:50 remaining. The teams would then trade baskets over the next five minutes before five straight points from Roth, a three pointer and a layup, provided a 45-33 advantage for the Hawks.

Binghamton answered what was the largest lead for Hartford to that point with five straight of their own to pull within seven 45-38. After a three pointer from Mallory Lawes cut Hartford's lead into single digits, 52-43, with 3:40 remaining the Hawks began to pull away scoring seven straight and 12 of the last 16 to secure the victory.

Hartford's largest lead of the night came following an 11-2 run that concluded with a layup from Bepko with 1:24 remaining.

The Hawks will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Long Island for a date with the Stony Brook Seawolves. The Hawks and Seawolves are scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. tip at Pritchard Gymnasium.