BOX SCORE

Boston, Mass. – Alex Hall cranked out a season-high 21 points, which also ties her career best, but the Hartford women's basketball team came up short at Boston University on Sunday afternoon 53-46, falling to 2-5 in league play and 11-10 overall. Boston University remains unbeaten in conference play at 7-0 and is now 14-6 on the season.

Hall's 21 points led all players in the game, while she was the only Hartford player to break the double digit barrier. It is also her first double digit game in conference play and just her third overall this season. She finished the game shooting 8-of-13 overall, including a 4-of-6 performance beyond the arc. Overall, Hartford finished the contest shooting 19-of-49 (38.8 percent), but were held to just nine second half buckets in 26 attempts for 34.6 percent.

All five starters found their way into the scoring column, while the Hawks managed just two points from their bench. Ruthanne Doherty finished with eight points for the Hawks, second most on the team, with Amber Bepko adding six points, Nikkia Smith five and Daphne Elliott four. Of the five starts, Elliott struggled to get into a rhythm, making just 1-of-6 attempts and finishing 0-of-3 from beyond the arc.

The Terriers finished the contest shooting 42 percent from the field (21-of-50), led by junior Mo Moran who chipped in 13 points. Alex Young and Chantell Alford each added 10 points for the home team.

Overall for the game, Hartford led the battle of the boards 33-28, with the Terriers closing that gap from a 12 rebound advantage at the halftime break. Boston, who was held to just one offensive board through the first 20 minutes, grabbed nine in the second half, which they turned into 11 second chance points.

Hartford came out of the gates on fire and was able to hold the Terriers without a bucket for the first 4:19, opening up an 8-0 lead in that stretch. Doherty provided the first two buckets in the game, with Hall opening her shooting performance with a three pointer from the corner at 16:39. Following the first bucket from the Terriers, the Hawks would score four-straight to open up their first double digit lead with 13:39 remaining, which came on a layup form Hall.

Two four point runs for the Terriers would sandwich together a 12-6 run that pulled the home team within our points with just under three minutes remaining. The Terriers would then follow up a jumper from Bepko with their first three pointer of the game from Young with 1:03 remaining, but Hall answered that long range bucket with two of her own in the final 43 seconds of the half, giving the visitors a 26-17 advantage at the break.

Rashidat Agboola came out of the halftime break and connected on a layup 17 seconds into the action, but Hartford answered right back with Hall's fourth three pointer in the game. The teams would then trade points over the next five plus minutes, until a four point run began what would amount to a 15-2 scamper that gave the Terriers their first lead of the game and an eventual 42-37 advantage with 5:02 remaining. The only Hawks bucket in that stretch was a layup from Doherty, but that would be the only bucket for more than seven minutes, until Hall broke the drought with a drive to the hoop for two plus a free throw, pulling the Hawks within 42-40 with 5:29 remaining.

The Hawks would keep their deficit within a one-bucket reach until a pair of free throws from Caroline Stewart with 1:14 remaining gave the Terriers a 49-44 lead. Hartford answered with a layup from Doherty and a defensive stop, but the Hawks would give up a lay in from Agboola with 22 seconds remaining. A crucial turnover on the Hawks just after the Agboola bucket would lead to a pair of free throws for Moran and the final tally of 53-46 in favor of the Terriers.

The Hawks return to West Hartford for their next game against the Stony Brook Seawolves. The Hawks welcome Stony Brook to West Hartford for a 7:00 p.m. game on Wednesday night. The game is scheduled to air live on CPTV Sports throughout Connecticut. That live game broadcast will be preceded by the second installment of the Jen Rizzotti Coaches Show, also on CPTV Sports.