Vestal, NY - Behind five starters in double figures and two halves of impressive shooting, the Hartford Women's Basketball team won its sixth-straight game, 74-54 over the Binghamton Bearcats on Wednesday night in Vestal, NY. The Hawks were led by the America East Player of the Game, rookie Ilicia Mathis, who finished with a game-best 14 points, while shooting 5-of-10 from the field. The Hawks improve to 14-8 overall and 9-1 in America East play.

Hartford finished the game shooting 52 percent from the field (29-of-56), shooting 50 percent or better in both halves. All five of Hartford players who finished in double figures shot 50 percent or better from the field with Erica Beverly leading the way shooting 4-of-5. Following Mathis' game-high, the Hawks had 13 points from Beverly and Lisa Etienne, while Katie Kelley added 12 and Diana Delva added 11.

The Hawks dropped the battle of the board by a 37-33 margin, with Kelley and Delva leading the team with six each. Hartford struggled from the outside, shooting just 3-of-11 (27 percent) and finished the game shooting 65 percent from the free throw line (13-of-20). As a team, Hartford finished with 10 assists and five blocks. Etienne led the team in assists with four and all five blocks came from different players. Etienne also added four steals.

The team traded baskets for much of the first half, with Hartford never trailing in the game, the fourth-straight game Hartford has never trailed in. The Hawks took their first double digit lead with 9:40 to play in the first half, following a 7-0 run. Mathis led Hartford in the run with the first five points on a three pointer and a layup.

Binghamton pulled within six in the final moments of the first half following five straight, a three from Erica Carter and a steal and layup from Darryll Peterson. Delva led all scorers in the first half with 11 points, the only player to get to double digits in the first 20 minutes.

Binghamton kept it within reach for much of the second half, but could never get closer than eight points. The final time, the Bearcats saw a deficit less than double digits came after a Jackie Ward three pointer with 8:37 to play. Following that basket, the Hawks rattled off a 10-1 run to go ahead by 20, 70-50 with 2:19 to play.

Peterson scored two layups for the Bearcats in the last two minutes, but Hartford answered back with two free throws from Kelley and a layup from Kacey Pratt to guarantee a 20-point victory.

The Hawks will take a short break from conference play to host the Marist Red Foxes as part of ESPN's February Frenzy on Sunday. The two mid-major powers will clash on ESPN2 from Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion with tip-off scheduled for 1:05 p.m.