BOX SCORE
PHOTO GALLERY
West Hartford, Conn. – The University of Hartford women's basketball team ended its three-game slide to open the season with a 62-53 victory over the Sacred Heart Pioneers (1-2 overall) at the Chase Family Arena on Monday night. Hartford (1-3 overall) was led in the game by sophomore Alex Hall who finished with 18 points to lead all scorers.
Hall, who was named the Nestle Purina ONE America East Player of the Game, finished the game shooting 7-of-11 from the field, and was 3-of-4 at the free throw line to go along with six rebounds in 32 minutes. Her 18 point performance was the most for her since scoring 17 points in a home win over Northeastern in December of last season.
Hall was one of three players in double figures for the Hawks, all guards. Joining her was fellow classmate Daphne Elliott and senior Mary Silvia who finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Elliott finished the game shooting 6-of-9 from the field, including a 3-of-4 performance from long range, while leading the team with seven rebounds. Silvia finished the game shooting 5-of-9 from the field, with two three pointers and was 2-of-2 at the free throw line.
As a team, the Hawks finished the game shooting 45.3 percent (24-of-53), while holding the Pioneers to a 32.3 percent (20-of-62) effort. The Pioneers outrebounded the Hawks, the fourth time, in four games, this season the Hawks have been outmatched on the boards. The Pioneers finished the game with a 41-34 advantage in rebounding, including a 20-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.
The Hawks trailed just once in the game following the opening bucket from the Pioneers, to which Hartford answered with a three pointer from Elliott. The Hawks went on to open up their first double digit lead of the game with 12:30 to play in the first half when Mary Silvia capped off a 9-0 run with a pair of free throws. Silvia also started the run with a jumper and a three pointer.
The Hawks largest lead of the half was 13, coming with just under three minutes remaining before the break. Four-straight points led to the 13-point advantage, all coming from the sophomore class. Alex Hall provided the first bucket on a jump shot off a feed from Silvia, while Elliott provided the second bucket on a layup.
Hartford came out of the break to open up a 15-point lead scoring nine of the first 11 points. A three pointer from Hall, off a pass from Jackie Smith provided the 36-21 lead with 16:39 to play in the game. Following a pair of free throws from the Pioneers Morgan Merriman, the Hawks opened up their biggest lead of the game on a three pointer from Elliott, on what amounted to be a second chance opportunity for the Hawks.
The Pioneers made it interesting late in the game, cutting the lead to seven with 3:12 to play. Sacred Heart might have ended their own run when they called a 30-second timeout following seven-straight points to set the Hawks up in a press coming down the floor. Hartford answered that run with a Hall layup followed by a steal, just 10 feet from the Hawks basket, from Elliot who laid the ball up and in, pushing the lead back to double figures with 2:17 remaining.
The Hawks will play their next three games south of the border and in the central time zone when they travel to the Aventura Palace Spa Resort for the Caribbean Challenge. Hartford will play Green Bay (Thursday at 12:00 p.m. EST), Utah (Friday at 12:00 p.m. EST) and Penn State (Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST) in the first three-game tournament since the Hawks won the Rainbow Wahine Classic during the 2007-08 season.
