BOX SCORE
WEST HARTFORD, CT - The University of Hartford men's basketball team couldn't overcome a slow start in a 79-65 loss to the University of Vermont on Thursday night at Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion.
Hartford (6-14 overall, 2-4 America East) shot 1-of-15 from the floor to start the game and fell behind by 15 points over the first 12 minutes. The Hawks came all the way back to cut the deficit to two later in the game but never led. Mike Trimboli led all scorers with 27 points to pace Vermont (13-6 overall, 4-2 America East). Trimboli and Hartford freshman Clayton Brothers (11 points) were named Nestle PurinaONE America East Players of the Game.
Neither team got off to a great start, as Hartford missed its first six shots and turned the ball over four times before senior Michael Turner netted the Hawks' first field goal with 13:12 remaining in the first half. Vermont led 8-6 after the basket but then went on a 13-0 run to break the game open. Joey Accaoui made a pair of three-pointers during the near-five minute stretch as the Catamounts vaulted out to a 21-6 advantage.
Hartford didn't back down, rallying to shoot 6-of-10 from the floor over the final 7:40 of the half. The Hawks outscored Vermont 21-10 over the stretch as senior Jaret von Rosenberg fueled the offense with 11 first-half points. The Catamounts held off the charge, though, to lead 31-27 at the break.
Vermont built the lead back to double digits in the opening minutes of the second half. The Hawks got within two points at 33-31 before the Catamounts pulled away behind a 14-2 run. Trimboli, who scored 23 points in the second half, netted all but three points during the run.
The Catamounts increased the lead to 17 points on a dunk by Marqus Blakely with 12:29 remaining in the contest. The Hawks, however, rallied back again, using a 16-3 run to cut the deficit to four. Hartford used the three-point shot to make up the difference, hitting four over the four-minute stretch. Brothers made two during the run while Turner and sophomore Andres Torres added the others. A baseline jumper by freshman Genesis Maciel capped the run and made it 55-51 with 7:31 to play.
Vermont stymied the Hartford comeback by scoring nine of the next 11 points. A three-pointer by Maurice Joseph pumped the led back to double figures at 64-53 with 3:23 to go, and the Catamounts sealed the win by going 12-of-12 from the free throw line in the final minute.
Brothers came off the bench to play 27 minutes and scored a career-high 11 points. He was also a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and finished 4-of-6 from the field. Turned netted 18 points to lead the Hawks while von Rosenberg added 17. The Hawks shot just 37 percent from the floor but went a perfect 16-of-16 from the charity stripe.
Trimboli shot 5-of-11 from the field and 15-of-16 from the line. Garvey Young and Colin McIntosh also finished in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Blakely, who torched the Hawks for 30 points and 20 rebounds in the last meeting, was held to eight points and nine rebounds. Vermont shot 51 percent in the contest and held a 33-30 edge on the glass.
Hartford will next play at Stony Brook University on Sunday, January 25 at 2 p.m.
