Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The University of Hartford men's basketball team knocked down 10 three-pointers on Sunday afternoon to take down Sacred Heart, 84-72, at the William H. Pitt Center. Junior Mark Nwakamma poured-in 21 points, a game-best, and sophomore Evan Cooper added 17 to highlight the Hawks, who improve to 4-8 overall with the win.

Turning in a career outing from behind the three-point line was Cooper, who missed just one of six shots from long range and went 6-for-7 from the floor overall. Nwakamma shot 6-for-11 on the afternoon and 9-for-12 from the line for his fourth 20-plus-point game of the season while classmates Wes Cole and Nate Sikma added 15 and 10 points, respectively, as Hartford eclipsed the 80-point mark for the second time in three outings.

Using a late run midway through the second to erase a two-point Sacred Heart lead and secure the win, the Hawks shot 55.6 percent (25-for-45) from the field, including a 50.0 clip (10-for-20) from three to post their second-best offensive output of the season.

Sacred Heart (2-8) also had four players in double figures led by 16 points from both Chris Evans and Louis Montes. The Pioneers made 45.9 percent (28-for-61) of their shots and were held to just four three-pointers, nearly four below their season average, including just one in the final 20 minutes.

The lead changed hands in the opening minutes before the Hawks put together a 12-4 spurt to break open a 10-10 tie. Capping that rally while providing an eight-point edge was Hartford's third three-pointer of the game from Taylor Dyson which made it a 22-14 contest midway through the opening period.

A lack of rebounding on the defensive end coupled with a flurry of turnovers prevented the Hawks from running away with the game, though, as Sacred Heart trimmed its deficit down to two with 6:44 remaining before halftime. De'von Barnett and Evan Kelley, who paced the Pioneers with 10 points at the break, had back-to-back layups to make it a 26-24 game.

Despite the miscues, Hartford closed out the opening period on a strong note, making three more triples over the next five minutes to retake an eight-point edge. During that stretch, Cooper hit two from long range, including the Hawks' final bucket of the period, while Cole added one from downtown to make it a 41-33 score with 1:37 left.

That advantage would be brought down to five points before the break thanks to the Pioneers' Steve Glowiak, who's third and final trey of the game with 62 ticks remaining provided the halftime margin of 41-36.

More than half (19) of the Pioneers' 36 first-half points came off of Hawk miscues and second chance points as Hartford committed 10 turnovers during that opening stretch and conceded 10 offensive rebounds, allowing Sacred Heart to linger.

Out of the intermission, the Hawks maintained their five-point edge for the first eight minutes until midway through the stanza when Sacred Heart used a 7-4 rally to go ahead for the first time since the opening minutes at 57-55. The home team's edge was short-lived, however, as Hartford answered back, using an 18-6 run fueled by four three-pointers to pull away and grab its first double-digit lead of the contest (73-63) with 5:10 remaining.

Cooper and Cole each knocked down a pair of crucial triples each during that offensive outburst while Nwakamma contributed the other six points to help the Hawks create a comfortable 10-point cushion.

Cooper's first three of the spurt erased Hartford's deficit at the 9:10 mark while his second, which gave Hartford a 61-57 advantage, came on the ensuing possession following a Pioneer turnover. Sacred Heart cut it to two after Evans made two free throws before Nwakamma pushed the lead back to five after converting on a three-point play. The Hawks then delivered the dagger over the next minute as Cole hit his next two from long range to make it 72-63 with 5:47 on the clock.

In the closing minutes of the game, Hartford converted from the line, going 9-for-10 to maintain its lead. From the charity stripe, the Hawks finished the game shooting 77.4 percent, making 24 of its 31 attempts.

The Hawks break for final exams and do not return to action until Sunday, December 22 when they host Saint Peter's. Tip-off from the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion is scheduled for 2 p.m.