BOX SCORE
ALBANY, NY - The University at Albany handed the University of Hartford men's basketball team a 59-50 loss on Wednesday night at SEFCU Arena.
Hartford (6-16 overall, 2-6 America East) led by one at the half but was outscored 34-24 in the second half. The Hawks were led by 14 points from senior Michael Turner. Classmate Jaret von Rosenberg added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists and was named America East Player of the Game along with Albany's Mike Johnson.
Hartford looked good in the opening minutes and put an end to its recent struggles at the start of games. The Hawks raced out to a 13-6 lead before the first media timeout, more points than they had scored before the first horn in the past three games combined.
Albany rallied back behind the play of Will Harris and Tim Ambrose, who combined to score all but two of the team's points in the half. When Ambrose drove to the hoop for a go-ahead layup that put the Great Danes in front for the first time at 15-13, the duo accounted for all of Albany's scoring to that point.
The lead changed hands five more times over the final 10:30 of the stanza. Hartford took a 26-25 lead into the break after Turner made a three-pointer seconds before the end of the half. Sophomore Morgan Sabia led the Hawks with 13 points in the first half while Harris poured in 16.
The biggest play of the first half may have been a foul called on Ambrose with 4:08 to go. He was whistled for a charge on a baseline drive, his third personal of the game. Ambrose, Albany's leading scorer entering the game, was forced to take a seat on the bench and didn't re-enter the game until 6:30 into the second half.
Hartford led in the early stages of the second half until a 10-minute stretch midway through the stanza turned the tide. Trailing 34-29 with 13:37 to play, Albany outscored Hartford 19-5 over the next 10 minutes to take control of the game. The run started when Ambrose checked back into the game and promptly scored on a jumper, the first of eight straight points for the Great Danes.
A layup and free throw by Turner tied the game at 37-37, but Albany went ahead again on another basket by Ambrose. A dunk by Jerel Hastings made the lead four, but the Great Danes took another hit when Ambrose picked up his fourth foul on the ensuing possession on an offensive charge.
Hartford looked like it would take advantage of Ambrose's absence, cutting the deficit to two right away on a von Rosenberg jumper. Anthony Raffa had other plans, however, scoring five points on back-to-back possessions to put Albany up by seven. Jimmie Covington then capped the run with a layup to give the Great Danes a 48-39 lead with 3:48 to play.
Hartford shot 2-of-10 during the 10-minute stretch and committed four turnovers. Albany eventually pushed the lead to double digits as the Hawks were forced to foul in the final few minutes.
Hartford shot just 34 percent from the floor and 23 percent from beyond the arc. Sabia finished with 13 points but was held scoreless in the second half.
Albany shot 42 percent and held a 41-29 edge on the glass. Harris scored only three points in the second half but finished with a game-high 19 and added 10 rebounds. Ambrose finished with 11 points while Raffa had 10.
Hartford will next host Boston University on Saturday, January 31 at Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion. The game will be televised live on ESPNU, and the first 1,500 fans through the gate will receive a free t-shirt as a part of a Coaches vs. Cancer promotion. Half of all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
