Box Score WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford men's basketball team dropped a 67-60 decision to the Vermont Catamounts before 2,010 fans at the Chase Family Arena Wednesday night. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 10-13 overall and 4-4 in America East game while the Catamounts have won nine of their last 10 to improve to 13-9 with a 7-1 mark in the conference.

Hartford was playing without Mark Nwakamma, its top-scorer, who was forced to the sidelines due to an injury suffered during warm-ups. Despite the key loss, the Hawks led by as many as eight in the first and held on to a 22-21 advantage at the half. Junior Yolonzo Moore II scored a game-high 17 points while classmate Corban Wroe stepped up to fill the void left by Nwakamma's absence, recording a career-high 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, going 3-of-4 from downtown.

Behind 68.4 percent shooting in the second half, Vermont, which had four players in double figures, was able to come back from a first-half deficit and claim a 12 point lead with five minutes left. The Catamounts went 6-of-12 from three-point territory, draining 5-of-7 down the stretch to pull away. Clancy Rugg scored nine of his 13 points in the final stanza to pace all Vermont scorers.

The Hawks came out of the gates strong, building a 12-4 advantage eight minutes in with the help of three three-pointers from Wroe, Wes Cole and Evan Cooper, who made his return to the lineup after missing three games with an injury.

With 7:53 left, Wroe knocked down his second triple of the night to put the Hawks ahead, 19-12, but the Catamounts finished the half with a 9-3 run to close the gap to a single point (22-21) at the break. Neither team shot exceptionally well in the first as Vermont made 33.3 percent (8-of-24) of its attempts from the field compared to Hartford's 38.1 percent effort (8-of-21).

Out of the intermission, the Hawks opened up by scoring the first three points to take a 25-21 lead only to see the Catamounts storm back with a 13-2 run. Ignited by an old-fashion three-point play by Brian Voekel that cut Hartford's lead to one, Sandro Carissimo knocked one down from behind the arc to put the Catamounts ahead for the first time all night at 27-25 with 17:46 to play.

Moore tied up the contest at 27-27 on the next possession, but a flagrant foul called on Hartford resulted in a seven-point Vermont swing that proved to be the turning point of the game. Missing just six shots in the second, the Catamounts shot 4-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 from behind the three point line during their decisive run.

Hartford came within three on an and-one by Cole with 10:41 remaining but would not come any closer as the Catamounts expanded its edge into double digits at 55-44 thanks to a 15-6 spurt. Vermont shot 7-of-9 from the free throw line in the closing minutes to hold off Hartford for the win. Missing 10 free throws, including six in the second stanza, the Hawks shot just 52.4 percetn (11-of-21) from the line.

The Hawks shot 47.7 percent overall (21-of-44), going 7-of-13 (53.8%) from long range.

The second tour of the America East begins on Saturday when Hartford travels to Stony Brook for a 2 p.m. tip at La Valle Stadium. Fans can catch the action on ESPN3 or can tune-in to the radio broadcast on WCCC 1290 AM (wccc.com).