BOX SCORE
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The University of Hartford basketball team dropped its first game after the finals break and the final game before the Christmas Break 65-51 to the Hofstra Pride on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks (2-10 overall) were led by a pair of guards, senior Mary Silvia and sophomore Alex Hall who each finished with 14 points.
The Hawks finished the game shooting 30 percent (17-of-56) after outshooting the Pride in the second half with a 39 percent (11-of-28) performance. Silvia led the Hawks shooters in the game, finishing 5-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The Hawks also trailed in the battle of the boards 45-38 and were led by Hall who finished with eight boards.
Daphne Elliott opened up the scoring for both teams with a drive to the basket 28 seconds in. The Pride answered by turning up their pressure on the ball and scoring the next six points to take a lead they would hold for the next 12 minutes. The first two buckets of that early run came on layups from Shante Evans, who led the Pride in scoring with 16 points.
The Pride would open up an early five point advantage with 10:15 remaining before the break as Annie Payton connected on a bucket to go ahead 14-9. Hartford answered with five-straight free throws to tie the game with just under eight minutes left. After a free throw from Candace Bond, Jackie Smith took a 16-15 lead on a jump shot with 6:31 remaining.
Hofstra wasn't going to let that Hawks lead last long as they scored the next 10 points to reopen their lead to 24-16 on a three pointer from Kate Loper. Anma Onyeuku singlehandedly put the Pride's lead into double digits as she scored on back-to-back fast break opportunities, giving Hofstra its largest lead of the half 30-18. Alyssa Englert would provide the final point of the half with a free throw.
Coming out of the break, the Pride used an 11-2 run to open up a 20 point advantage, their largest of the game. Silvia broke up that run and gave the Hawks a spark off the bench that would help pull the team back to single digits with 8:28 remaining. Silvia, and Hall would combined for four three pointers over seven minutes, that combined with layups from Hall and Ruthanne Doherty and a pair of free throws from Elliott put the Hawks within striking distance, 39-47.
Nicole Capurso would break up the momentum of back-to-back three pointers with one of her own, before layups from Doherty and Nikkia Smith got the Hawks as close as they would get in the second half 43-50 with 7:40 remaining.
Back-to-back three pointers from Loper and Capurso put the Pride back ahead by 15, but despite not scoring in the final three minutes, the Hawks were never able to capitalize and dropped their 10th game of the season. The Hawks managed just three points, all on free throws, in the final three minutes of the game.
Hartford will return to action after a short Christmas break when they travel to Baltimore, Md. for a date with the Coppin State Eagles on Wednesday, December 29. The Hawks and Eagles will tangle talons at 5:00 p.m.
