BOX SCORE
BURLINGTON, VT - The University of Hartford men's basketball team couldn't erase a poor first half with a second-half rally against the University of Vermont on Monday night, falling 71-63 at Patrick Gym.
Hartford (6-19 overall, 2-9 America East) trailed 32-17 at the half and fell behind by as many as 21 points in the second stanza before mounting a comeback. The Hawks trailed 50-31 with 11:51 to play in the game before ripping off a 20-4 run over a five-minute stretch, cutting the deficit to three on a three-pointer by senior Jaret von Rosenberg.
Vermont answered with points on its next possession and never let the lead get away. Mike Trimboli stepped up in the final moments for the Catamounts, scoring nine of the team's last 10 points in the contest. He finished with 17 points in the game, nine of which came at the free throw line.
Marqus Blakely also scored 17 points for Vermont and added 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and three steals. Blakely and von Rosenberg were named America East Players of the Game. Von Rosenberg scored 13 points and finished with a team-high five assists and four rebounds.
Hartford got off to a slow start, making only one of its first nine shots while turning the ball over nine times in the first 10:30 of the game. Vermont scored 13 straight points to lead 13-3 and upped the margin to as many as 18 in the half.
The Hawks shot 25 percent in the first half and committed 13 turnovers, four more than they totaled in their last game against New Hampshire. The 17 points were a season-low for any half this season.
Hartford's play in the second half was drastically different. The Hawks outscored Vermont 46-39 and committed only four turnovers. Hartford also shot 52 percent from the floor, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc.
The comeback started behind great defense, as the Hawks came away with steals on five of six Vermont possessions. Consecutive layups by sophomore Andres Torres started the run, and junior David Bookman followed with a jumper to cut the deficit to 13. A three-pointer by von Rosenberg was answered by a dunk from Blakely, but the Hawks cut the margin to seven on the next trip down the floor on a layup by Bookman.
The Hawks got to within four at 52-48 on a three-pointer from the corner by freshman Clayton Brothers with 7:29 to go. Trimboli made the lead six again with a jumper on the ensuing possession, but von Rosenberg came right back to sink a wide-open three that cut the deficit to 54-51 with 6:34 remaining.
Vermont stayed ahead by getting to the foul line the next three trips down the floor. Blakely and Garvey Young both made a pair during the stretch while Colin McIntosh made 1-of-2.
Hartford never got closer than three points, though three-pointers by Torres and freshman Drake U'u twice cut the margin to four in the final minutes. U'u finished with four points in his return to the floor after missing the last 11 games with a broken foot.
Senior Michael Turner picked up his sixth career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Bookman also notched a career high with eight points off the bench and added four rebounds. Hartford's three freshmen-Brothers, U'u and Genesis Maciel-combined for 16 points.
Hartford will next play at the University of Maine on Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.
