Albany, NY – The #23/24 University of Hartford (25-3, 15-0 America East) women's basketball team held the Great Danes to three points in the final five minutes to pull out their school record 17th straight victory at SEFCU Arena by a 63-57 final. Hartford was led by senior Diana Delva who finished with a season high 22 points as Hartford improved to 24-3 overall and 15-0 in conference action securing the 2009-10 America East Conference regular Season championship outright.

Delva led all scorers in the game and was one of two Hawks to finish in double figures as classmate Erica Beverly finished with her sixth double double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks finished the game shooting 39.6 percent (21-of-53) from the field led by Delva who finished 6-of-11. Hartford excelled at the line missing just one of 19 attempts as a team. Delva finished with 10 free throw in 11 attempts.

The Great Danes (10-18, 3-12 America East) came into the second half and hit five of their first seven shots to take their largest lead of the game 40-33 with 16:30 to play. Hartford answered by using an 11-0 run retaking the lead at 44-40, the fifth lead change of the game. The run held Albany without points for more than a five minute stretch.

Albany responded by scoring on back-to-back layups, tying the game for the seventh time. Hartford kept the lead for the next three minutes before five-straight from the Great Danes led to a 52-50 lead for the home team, the last lead they would see in the game. Hartford would go on to outscore Albany 13-5 in the final six-plus minutes to guarantee the victory.

For just the third time in conference play, the Hawks trailed at the break 29-27. The Hawks led by as much as eight in the first half, but the Great Danes used a late 11-0 run to erase the lead and take a three point lead of their own with 1:51 remaining in the stanza.

The Great Danes led five times in the first half, including three within the first eight minutes. The Hawks took their first lead of the game at 7-6 and again at 11-9, a lead they would not relinquish until the late Albany run. Hartford's largest lead of the first half came with 4:53 remaining following back-to-back baskets from Ruthanne Doherty and Beverly.

Following the Great Danes 11 point run, Jackie Smith knocked down her second three pointer in the game to tie the score at 27 before the Great Danes connected on the last basket of the half with 1:10 remaining, a jumper from Charity Iromuanya, the Great Danes only senior honored prior to Albany's final home game in 2009-10.

As a team, the Great Danes shot 44.8 percent in the first half, led by Felicia Johnson who finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 from the field, including a perfect 2-of-2 from long range. Hartford shot 39.3 percent in the half and were led by Delva who finished with seven points, including five of the first seven points of the game.

The Hawks return to action when they welcome the second place Vermont Catamounts to West Hartford on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The game, which is the final regular season game of the season, will be the Hawks Senior Night, where they will honor the four seniors, Erica Beverly, Diana Delva, Jenna Peterson and Kacey Pratt.