VESTAL, NY ? The University of Hartford men's basketball team escaped with a 68-65 victory over the University of New Hampshire in the quarterfinals of the 2008 America East Championship on Saturday night at the Binghamton University Events Center.
The second-seeded Hawks improved to 17-15 overall and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since the 2004 season. The 17 wins also tie the school record for most Division I victories. Hartford will face sixth-seeded Boston University on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in a game that will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet (CSN). Top-seeded UMBC will face fourth-seeded Vermont in the day's first semifinal at noon.
Hartford led by three with 17 seconds to play in the contest following a pair of free throws from junior Jaret Von Rosenberg. New Hampshire, one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference, then had three looks in the final seconds to tie the game. After misses by Mike Christensen and Tyrece Gibbs, Eric Gilchrese had the final attempt from the wing as time expired, but his shot came up short.
Sophomore Joe Zeglinski and junior Warren McLendon led the Hartford attack, each finishing with a double-double. Zeglinski recorded a game-high 22 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and was a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line. McLendon added 18 points and 10 boards and was 8-of-15 from the floor. The last time Hartford teammates finished with a double-double in the same game was in 2005-06.
Freshman Morgan Sabia and Von Rosenberg also scored in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Hawks committed only eight turnovers and shot 46 percent from the floor.
Hartford took control behind a 21-5 run early in the second half. McLendon capped the run with a slam in the paint to give the Hawks their biggest lead at 55-44 with 9:17 to play.
New Hampshire clawed back into the game behind the play of Alvin Abreu, who scored seven straight points to trim the deficit to 55-51 over the Wildcats' next three possessions. UNH later tied the game at 62-62 on a three-pointer by Abreu with 1:18 to go.
The Hawks went to Zeglinski on their next possession, and the all-conference first team selection responded with fade-away jumper from the top of the key to give his team a two-point advantage. Gibbs was then fouled on the other end but missed both free throws, and Sabia pulled down the rebound and was fouled with 32 ticks left on the clock. He made both freebies to give the Hawks a four-point lead.
Gibbs cut the deficit to one with a deep three on UNH's next possession. The Hawks then got the ball to Von Rosenberg on the inbounds play, and the team's leading free throw shooter was fouled and made two to set the stage for the Wildcats' final three-point barrage.
The first half was closely contested as neither team led by more than six points. Hartford led in the early going until a three-pointer from Tyrone Conley gave UNH its first lead at 9-6 with 15:12 to play in the first half.
Hartford battled back behind the play of Zeglinski and McLendon, who combined for 21 of the team's 32 points in the stanza. The Hawks took the lead back on a Zeglinski three-pointer that made it 20-18 with 6:26 remaining. Hartford led for the rest of the half and held a 32-31 edge at the intermission.
Zeglinski became the seventh Hartford player in the Division I era to record a 500-point season, as his 22 points gave him 518 on the season. The last player to eclipse the mark was Kenny Adeleke in 2005-06.
Christensen led New Hampshire with 20 points while Abreu added 16 and Gibbs chipped in with 12. Christensen also pulled down 11 rebounds to finish with the double-double.
