West Hartford, CT – Despite shooting just 17.6 percent in the second half, the Hartford women's basketball team lifted head coach Jennifer Rizzotti to her milestone 200th victory, 51-44, over Coppin State on Monday at Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion. Hartford improves to 8-3 overall, while Coppin State falls to 3-6.

The Hawks took a 33-20 lead in to the break, but scored just 18 points in the second half, 12 of which came at the free throw line. Hartford connected on just three shots in the second half, of 17 attempts, and made 12-of-23 at the free throw line, but the defense proved vital lifting the Hawks to victory.

Senior forward/center Diana Delva led Hartford with her third-straight double double, leading all players in the game with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Delva finished the game 8-of-11. She was one of two players in double figures as fellow classmate Erica Beverly added 10 points and eight rebounds. Leading all players in rebounding was freshman Ruthanne Doherty who finished with 14, five of which came on the offensive end of the floor.

The Hawks finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field (18-of-50) and were outshot by the Eagles (19-of-51, 37.3 percent). Leading the way for Coppin State was Jeanine Manley and Shante Cummings who each finished with 10 points. For the second-straight game Hartford's outside shooting struggled the most with the Hawks making only one three point basket in nine attempts. Combined, the Hawks guards were 3-of-22 from the field, led by freshman Alex Hall who finished with nine points.

Delva scored the first bucket of the game, 14 seconds past the tip, and the Hawks never looked back from there. The Eagles did manage one tie in the game, coming with 18:06 remaining in the first half when a Shante Cummings knotted things at two. Hartford quickly extended its lead to six on a jumper from Nikkia Smith with 11:04 remaining.

Hartford extended its lead to eight, 18-10 on a layup from Hall, before the Eagles fought back with a 6-0 run to pull within two, 18-16, on a jump shot from Crystal Whittington. The Hawks answered with a 7-0 run and then extended that run to 13-2, enough to take a 13 points lead with just under two minutes left in the first half. The lead, which amounted to the largest of the half for Hartford came on the first bucket of the season for senior Jenna Peterson.

Coppin State came out of the break and brought the Hawks within single digits less than six minutes into the second half. After a Beverly jumper matched the largest lead of the first half 35-22, the Eagles rattled off four-straight to pull within nine, 35-24.

Coppin state whittled that lead done to as little as six on two occasions in the second half, the second coming with 9:05 remaining in the game on a layup from Manley. Hartford's defense responded by holding the Eagles without a bucket for the next 5:30, which allowed them to open up a 48-33 lead with 3:35 to play. The largest lead of the game came on four-straight free throws, two from Hall and two from Beverly.

Coppin State was able to get the Hawks lead back into single digits, and as close as seven, which came with the final basket of the game, a three pointer from Jaleah Holsey who had just come off the bench.

Hartford will not play again until December 30 when they welcome the Bowling Green Falcons to West Hartford for a 7:00 p.m. game. The Hawks are looking to avenge a 56-52 loss at Bowling Green last season. Hartford will be celebrating Father-Daughter day at the game, in which daughter's receive free admission with the purchase of dad's admission. For tickets or more information contact the Malcolm & Brenda Berman Athletics Box Office at (860) 768-Hawk or tickets@hartford.edu .