BOX SCORE
Hanover, N.H. – Stingy second half defense holds Dartmouth to just three buckets in the final 20 minutes helping lift the Hawks to a 60-42 win on the road on Monday afternoon. Hartford was led by junior Nikkia Smith who finished with 14 points. Hartford improves to 8-3 on the season, while Dartmouth falls to 2-6 overall.
Smith's 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, led three players in double figures as she was joined by classmate Daphne Elliott with 11 and sophomore Taylor Clark who closed out her first career game in double figures with 10, setting a new career mark. Overall, the Hawks shot 44 percent (22-of-50) from the field, including a game-best 56.5 percent (13-of-23) in the second half alone. The Hawks defense in the second half held Dartmouth to 3-of-23 shooting (13 percent), while the Big Green finished the game 11-of-50 (22 percent). Faziah Steen led the Big Green with 16 points.
The Hawks also racked up 17 steals in the game, the most since January 10, 2009 when the Hawks finished with 18 take-a-ways against Maine. The Hawks finished with 18 steals twice that season. Defensively, the Hawks forced 26 turnovers, the second most taken from an opponent this season. The Hawks also finished with 12 assists in the game with sophomore Alyssa Englert completing her second straight game with five give-a-ways and the third of the season for the point guard.
Dartmouth did finish the game with a 40-30 advantage on the boards with Tia Dawson leading all players with 13 rebounds. She finished the game with a double double chipping in 10 points. The Hawks rebounding efforts were led by their starting posts, Smith with six and Milana Gilbert with five. Gilbert and Alex Hall would finish the game with eight points each to help lead the Hawks offensive efforts.
Dartmouth would open the scoring in the first half with a jump shot from Steen off the first possession of the game. The Hawks would answer right back with a jumper from Smith on their first possession, before the Big Green used six straight points, all at the free throw line, to take an 11-4 lead with 14:51 to play in the first half.
After trading baskets and the Big Green holding a 13-6 lead with 13:05 to play, the Hawks would use their first run an 8-0 scramble to take their first lead in the game 14-13 with 7:44 remaining before the break. Dartmouth would take that lead right back with back-to-back buckets, taking a 17-14 lead with 6:15 on the clock.
Two more lead changes would take place before the end of the half with a three points, the first of the game for Hartford, from Elliott provided the first of those lead changes before a three point answer from Eve Zelinger gave the Big Green the final lead of the first half as they would take a 24-21 advantage into halftime.
Following an extended halftime break due to a fire alarm at Leede Arena, which forced the local fire department into action before the teams and fans could return, the Hawks would score the first six points of the half, four of which came from Hall, for the fifth lead change of the game. Following those six points, the Big Green would get a three from Steen, the only basket for the next 13 minutes of action as the Hawks lead grew into double figures.
After a pair of free throws from Dawson gave Dartmouth a 29-27 lead the Hawks would use a 9-0 run to retake the lead, the seventh and final lead change of the game, extending that lead to 39-29 with 10:48 to play. In the more than 13 minutes without a basket for the Big Green, they would go 10-of-10 at the free throw line but it wouldn't be enough to pull them within reach.
Using a 10-2 run, the Hawks would extend its lead to 15, 52-37 with 3:45 remaining in regulation. Of those 10 Hawks points, Smith would chip in four, while Elliott provided the other six. Looking at the 15 point deficit the Big Green scored back-to-back baskets to pull within 10, but Hartford wouldn't allow another point from that point on, scoring the final eight points of the half to secure the victory.
The Hawks will return to action after an eight day break for final exams when they travel to Richmond for a date with the Spiders. The Hawks and Spiders are scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. tip on Thursday, December 22 in the final game for either team before the holiday intermission.
