BOX SCORE
BALTIMORE, Md. – Four Hawks finished in double figure scoring, led by 20 points by Nate Sikma, to help the University of Hartford men's basketball team hold on to its halftime advantage and score a 76-70 triumph over the UMBC Retrievers at RAC Arena on Tuesday evening. With the win, the Hawks snap a five-game skid and improve to 5-7 in the America East (5-19 overall) while the Retrievers fall to 3-20 overall (2-9 AE).
Sikma had a solid game for the Hawks adding a team-best seven rebounds while dishing out five helpers to his 20 tallies. Senior Andres Torres finished with 12 points and seven assists, a game-high, and Clayton Brothers netted 11. Rounding out Hartford's top scorers was Genesis Maciel who finished with 10 points.
Both teams were red hot to start the game as they combined to make their first seven shot attempts and put 15 points on the scoreboard in the opening 120 seconds. UMBC held a slight edge at 8-7 before Hartford pulled ahead at 9-8 with 17:26 left in the half.
The game continued to remain tight throughout the opening stanza as the Hawks and Retrievers exchanged runs, starting with a UMBC 6-0 rally that put them up at 14-9 with 15:20 left. Hartford answered with a 6-0 stretch of its own before UMBC went on to outscore the Hawks, 17-5, including 13 of 20 first half points by Plummer, to gain its largest advantage of the half at 33-23 at the 8:04 mark.
It was the Hawks' turn to return the favor as they used an 18-4 run to erase its deficit and push ahead at 41-37 with 1:12 remaining in the period. The two teams would trade baskets before a jumper by UMBC's Brian Neller at the buzzer provided the halftime margin, a 44-41 lead for the visitors.
Both teams were feeling it from the floor in the opening 20 as Hartford shot 66.7 percent (14-of-21), its best first half shooting effort of the season, while UMBC connected on 60.7 percent (17-of-28) of its shots. Both teams would go on to finish over the 50 percent clip on the evening with Hartford closing out the game shooting 52.1 percent (25-of-48).
After pouring in the most points in an opening half this season, Hartford kept its momentum going with a 5-0 run to jump ahead by eight out of the intermission. The Retrievers responded with one of its own, netting seven unanswered, but they still trailed at 49-48 with 16:23 to go.
The Hawks would not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the game, but UMBC kept it close down the stretch. Hartford again built an eight point cushion but allowed UMBC to storm back and whittle the lead to a single point on two occasions.
Hartford held off the home team and did not allow the Retrievers to come closer than three points. UMBC, which missed four of six free throws in the game's final 4:27, would make it a three-point game one last time at 73-70 when Neller buried a trey with 1:24 to play. In the next possession, Hartford came up empty however the Retrievers would not be able to execute out of the timeout as Neller missed from downtown. After grabbing the rebound and getting fouled, Brothers converted on both free throw attempts with 31 seconds remaining. UMBC was off in its next shot attempt allowing Yolonzo Moore to seal the game after drilling one of two free throws.
Plummer finished with a game-best 28 points, a career-high, while Neller closed out the game with 14 points.
The Hawks dominated the boards, finishing with a 32-23 advantage.
After three games on the road, Hartford returns home for a two-game homestand, starting on Sunday when it hosts the Binghamton Bearcats. Last month, the Hawks soared to a 69-57 victory over the Bearcats in Vestal. The two teams will tip-off from Chase Arena at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 860-768-HAWK, online at www.HartfordHawksTickets.com, or by visiting the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office.
