BOX SCORE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For a while, it looked like the Hartford men's basketball team might have been on its way to a program-defining upset over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. In the end, though, the best defensive team in the nation proved too much for the Hawks, as Florida State shut down Hartford in the second half and won, 60-38. Hartford scored just nine points after intermission.
Joe Zeglinski led the Hawks with nine points, all in the first half. Milton Burton and Morgan Sabia had eight each. Burton added a career-high nine rebounds to lead the Hawks. Florida State got double-doubles from Bernard James (11 points and 10 rebounds) and Derwin Kitchen (10 points and 13 rebounds).
It was truly a tale of two halves for the Hawks, who led for much of the first period and shot 7-of-18 (38.9%) from beyond the arc. After spotting the Seminoles a 2-0 lead, Hartford got three-pointers from Sabia and Zeglinski to grab a 6-2 lead with 17:29 remaining in the first half.
The Hawks led by as many as nine in the opening period, 19-10 with 9:41 to go. Hartford forced 17 turnovers in the first half as the Seminoles were sloppy with the ball and could not get things going offensively. The Hawks ended up with 18 points off turnovers in the first period.
Florida State slowly but surely began chipping away at the deficit, doing a better job of taking care of the ball and utilizing their size inside. The Seminoles finally took the lead back with 1:22 to play in the period when Michael Snaer knocked down a three from the right corner. At the half, the Hawks trailed just 30-29.
From there, though, the defense of Florida State clamped down. The Seminoles are the top-ranked defense in the nation, the only team in the top 25 in blocked shots, field goal percentage defense and steals per game. Although their tough day from the floor continued, they were able to shut down the key to Hartford's first half, their three-point shooting. The Hawks hit just 1-of-22 from downtown after halftime, and only 3-of-34 overall.
Florida State also dominated the glass, pulling down 59 rebounds to the Hawks' 31. Hartford managed just 10 points in the paint to the Seminoles' 30, the first time all season that Hartford has been outscored down low. One key to Florida State's ability to put the game away was how they were able to get to the free throw line early and often. The Seminoles went 13-for-22 from the line for the game, while Hartford was just 2-for-4.
The Hawks return to Connecticut tomorrow, and will be back in action on Wednesday night when they visit Sacred Heart. Tip off for that game in Fairfield is set for 7:00 p.m. All the action will be heard on the flagship station of Hartford men's basketball, WDRC-1360 AM with Jeff Dooley and Randy LaVigne having the call.
