Queens, NY - The Hartford Hawks women's basketball team picked up its second-straight win, keeping the momentum of the Hawks upset over BYU with a 58-46 win over St. John's on the road on Monday night. The Hawks improve to 6-3 overall while the Red Strom fall to 2-5 overall. Hartford was led by Ikea Witt (Vineland, N.J.), who finished with a season best of 22 points, her first 20 point game of the season.
“Our defense was right on target tonight,” said head coach Jennifer Rizzotti. “Kea (Witt) showed her leadership on the floor tonight, something we will be looking for from her. The girls played well through all of the emotions tonight.”
Witt was one of two players in double digits, joined by Danielle Hood (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) who finished with 10 points. Witt finished the game shooting 64.3 percent from the floor on 9-of-14.
Hartford started things off with a three point basket from MaryLynne Schaefer (Centreville, Va.) 10 seconds into the game and extended their lead to double figures with just under 13 minutes to play in the first half. That lead was made possible using a 10-0 run, which featured baskets from four different players, including four from Witt.
The Red Storm battled to within three, 26-23, following three straight Hawks turnovers, with under three minutes remaining in the first 20 minutes. The Hawks scored only one basket in the final seven minutes of the first half and only three points, all from Lisa Etienne (Norwalk, Conn.). Hartford took a 29-25 advantage into the locker room on a 59.1 shooting percentage, the best first half shooting of the season.
Schaefer, for the second game in a row, opened both halves with a three pointer for the Hawks. Schaefer's three started a 7-0 run for the Hawks, which opened up an early second half lead of nine, 36-27. After the Red Storm scored the next four points, the Hawks used a 6-0 run to re-extend the lead to double digits, the first time in the second half. The lead was made possible off a pair of baskets off St. John's turnovers.
The Red Storm again held the Hawks to only one basket in the final five minutes of the half, but the Hartford defense held strong allowing only one basket and two free throws during the final five minutes. All of the Hawks points in the final five minutes came from Witt, a total of six.
Hartford will return home for its second of three games this week, when they welcome Massachusetts to Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m.
