STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Sophomore Amber Bepko scored a career high 20 points to lead the Hartford women's basketball team (16-8, 7-4 America East) to a 60-44 road victory at Stony Brook on Sunday afternoon. Bepko was one of two Hawks to finish in double figures as senior Ruthanne Doherty added 14.

Overall, Hartford finished the game shooting 42.3 percent from the field on 22-of-52, while missing just two of their 15 free throw attempts (86.7 percent). The Hawks did struggle from beyond the arc, making just 3-of-12, all three of which came from Bepko in the first half.

Defensively, the Hawks held Stony Brook to 36.7 percent shooting on 18-of-49 with Dani Klupenger leading the team with 12 points. She finished 4-of-7 from the field with all four baskets from beyond the arc. Hartford also forced 26 Stony Brook turnovers, recording 13 steals led by Doherty with five. Stony Brook did win the battle of the boards with a 36-26 advantage with Chikilra Goodman leading all players with 11 boards. Doherty led Hartford with five.

The Seawolves scored two of the first three baskets in the contest, which resulted in their only lead of 4-2 just over two minutes into the action. Hartford responded by scoring three straight and taking an 8-4 lead they would never relinquish. That run saw back-to-back baskets from Bepko, the second of which provided the Hawks first lead of the contest.

Those six points separated back-to-back runs that equaled a 13-2 scurry that resulted in a nine point lead for Hartford, 15-6. Stony Brook wasn't going to rest as they answered with back-to-back three pointers from Klupenger pulling within three at 15-12.

Hartford would maintain that lead with a free throw and then a three pointer, the first of the game for the Hawks, to take a 19-14 advantage before back-to-back baskets from the Seawolves made it a one point differential. The second of the two-straight for Stony Brook was a second chance opportunity from Jessica Previlon.

Hartford answered that minimal lead by scoring seven straight to regain an eight point advantage, 26-18, with just under four minutes remaining before the intermission. The third Hartford three pointer from Bepko, which give her 14 first half points, led to a 29-20 lead with the only other points in the half coming from Previlon resulting in the 29-22 halftime score.

Coming out of the break, Hartford scored twice in the first 35 seconds to take the first double digit lead of the afternoon 33-22. Those four points were added to seven more as the Hawks opened the second half with 11 of the first 15 points to take a 40-26 lead with 14:51 remaining. That final advantage came courtesy of a three point play for redshirt freshman Katie Roth.

Stony Brook would continue to fight, scoring the next seven points and pulling within seven with 112:59 to play, but Hartford went on to score eight of the next 10 and regain a 48-35 advantage, never again relinquishing the double digit lead.

The Hawks largest lead of the contest came with 4:48 remaining as Doherty sunk her fourth straight free throw to give Hartford a 58-40 lead. Two more free throws would come for the Hawks, from Cherelle Moore, as the Seawolves would get four more points, the final two on a layup from Miranda Jenkins with 44 seconds left, providing the final 60-44 tally.

The Hawks return to West Hartford for two straight games at the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion, both of which are scheduled to air live on ESPN3. First on the docket is a date with the Maine Black Bears on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. before the Albany Great Danes visit campus on Sunday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m.