Box Score DURHAM, N.H. – Junior Wes Cole's sharp shooting from long range helped lift the University of Hartford men's basketball team to a 60-43 win on the road at New Hampshire in America East action Saturday afternoon. One of three Hawks to finish in double figures, Cole recorded a season-high 17 points as Hartford evened its league record to 2-2 (8-11 overall).

Cole shot 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-9 from long range to help fuel a second-half offensive burst for the Hawks. Junior Mark Nwakamma netted 18 points, a game-high, to pace the Hawks while classmate Yolonzo Moore II added 15 points. Hartford ran down UNH's seven-man rotation, forcing 11 second-half turnovers and 16 overall while scoring 20 points off those miscues.

Dipping to 3-14 overall and 1-3 in conference play, the Wildcats were led by a 13-point, seven rebound effort from Jacoby Armstrong.

Hartford and UNH exchanged blows to start the afternoon as the lead shifted back-and-forth seven times in a stretch that featured spurts of cold shooting by both squads. Hartford enjoyed the final punch of the half, erasing a 19-17 deficit by reeling off eight-straight points to take a 25-19 lead into the locker rooms.

Junior Jamie Schneck got that half-ending rally going, putting his team ahead with an old-fashioned three-point play. Following a pair of Oren Faulk free throws, Moore made it a six-point advantage with a three-pointer, his first of two in the game. Nwakamma led the Hawks at the break with eight points while Armstrong and Jaleen Smith each had six points to lead the Wildcats.

That momentum carried into the second half as five quick points pushed Hartford's advantage to double figures for the first time in the game. Nwakamma scored on a layup 10 seconds into the stanza before junior Corban Wroe drained a three-pointer off a steal in the back court less than 20 seconds later to extend the lead to 11 (30-19) with 19:30 to go.

Six of Hartford's nine three-pointers came in the second half as the Hawks improved upon a 26.9% first half effort from the field. The Hawks shot 54.2% (14-for-24) over the final 20 minutes and finished at a 40.0% clip (20-for-50) on the afternoon.

With Hartford ahead 34-23, UNH cut the lead down to five points, but Cole stopped the bleeding on the Wildcats' 6-0 run, burying a three with 11:13 left. The guard continued his hot shooting down the stretch, adding three more three-pointers to help the Hawks maintain their cushion.

After scoring five unanswered to take a 47-37 advantage with 8:55 to go, the Hawks put the Wildcats down, using a 13-3 offensive surge to seal the game. Faulk pulled down seven rebounds and had three assists to lead the Hawks, who conceded the fewest points in a game since hodling the Wildcats to 44 points in a 49-44 win last season. 

The Hawks waste little time to return to the hardwood as they make a brief stop at home on Monday, January 20 to play host to UMass Lowell. The first-ever Division I meeting between the two squads is set to begin at 1 p.m. from the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion.