ALBANY, NY ? The University of Hartford men's basketball team dropped an 80-67 decision to the University at Albany on Sunday afternoon at the Recreation and Convocation Center.
Albany, the defending America East champion and unanimous preseason pick to repeat, shot 46 percent from the field and 48 percent from behind the three-point line for the game. The Great Danes improved to 12-7 overall and 5-2 in the America East. Hartford dropped to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
Senior Bo Taylor scored a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers. He scored 21 in the second half and was named Hartford's America East Player of the Game. Freshman Joe Zeglinski also finished in double figures for the Hawks with 14 points. Jamar Wilson led three Great Danes in double figures with 22 points and added eight rebounds and six assists.
The first half was dominated by runs from each team. The Hawks took a quick 3-0 lead on the opening possession after Zeglinski drained a three-pointer, but the Great Danes answered with a 17-3 run in which they connected on five three-pointers to pull out to a 17-6 lead with 12:50 remaining.
Hartford got back into the game with nine straight points over the next three minutes to whittle the deficit to two at 17-15 with 9:30 to go in the half. Albany then controlled the next seven minutes, outscoring Hartford 18-3 to take its biggest lead of the half at 35-18 with 2:26 to play.
The Great Danes took a 39-32 lead into the locker room at half. Albany shot 47 percent from three-point range in the stanza and made nine of its 12 field goals from long range. Brent Wilson had four treys and 14 points to lead the Great Danes in the half while Zeglinski led the Hawks with eight. Hartford shot 35 percent for the half and committed 10 turnovers.
Hartford trailed by as many as 24 points in the second half but cut the deficit in half in the final five minutes. The Hawks were whistled for a season-high 30 fouls in the game, and the Great Danes cashed in at the free throw line by going 24-of-34 (71 percent).
Hartford will next host the University of Vermont on Thursday, January 25 at 7 p.m.
