BOX SCORE
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The University of Hartford men's basketball team tipped off its 2011-12 campaign with the third annual Connecticut 6 Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena and suffered a 70-50 loss to the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Friday evening. The Hawks (0-1) fell behind early in the first half but did not go down without a fight as they battled back from a pair of 14-point setbacks to pull within seven points on two occasions.
A poor shooting performance coupled with sloppy passes on the offensive end translated into an early first half deficit for the Hawks, who connected on just 7-of-31 shots (22.6-percent) in the opening stanza and allowed their opponents to score eight points on turnovers.
Yolonzo Moore II, a freshman, was Hartford's leading scorer with 12 points while classmate Jamie Schneck added seven boards to his 11 points. Justin Swidowski paced the Pioneers' offense with 18 points on an impressive 7-of-10 performance from the floor. Shane Gibson also reached double figures for Sacred Heart with 15 points.
Schneck broke the ice with the season's first bucket 82 seconds into the game, but the Hawks' lead was short-lived as the Pioneers used a jumper by Stan Dulaire and a Shane Gibson three-pointer to take the advantage four minutes in, one that it would hold on to for the remainder of the game.
Another jumper by Schneck kept the Hawks within three at 9-6 with 11:28 remaining but Sacred Heart rattled off 11 unanswered points within a span of three minutes to pull ahead, 20-6. Hartford responded with a run of its own as a trio of freshman combined for seven points to bring the Hawks within seven. Nate Sikma and Moore each scored their first points as collegians on lay-ups and Wes Cole followed suit with a three to close in on the Pioneers' largest lead of the game.
After trading baskets for the next three minutes, Sacred Heart closed out the half with two-straight buckets to extend its advantage to 11 at 26-15 heading into the halftime break.
Down 14 points for the second time o nthe afternoon with 7:31 to play, Moore and senior Andres Torres converted on fast break lay-ups to keep the Hawks within striking distance. Following a dunk by Sacred Heart's Shane Gibson and a free throw by Torres, Hartford turned up the pressure defensively and forced two Pioneers' turnovers, both of which were converted into four-straight fast break points by Moore and Clayton Brothers. The Hawks' threat was ended by a long three pointer by Evan Kelley with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.
With 2:39 remaining, Hartford again managed to cut another double digit Sacred Heart lead to seven points at 57-50 at the 1:43 mark however Sacred Heart converted on 13-of-14 free throws down the stretch to push its lead to 20 at 70-50, the final score.
The Hawks closed out the game shooting at a clip of 27.3-percent (18-of-66) while the Pioneers finished 22-of-60 (36.7-percent). Sacred Heart outrebounded the visiting squad, 53-43.
Hartford wastes little time to get its second game of the 2011-12 season in the books as it travels to State College, Pa. to take on Penn State from the Big Ten on Saturday. Tip-off between the Hawks and Nittany Lions is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
