WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford women's basketball team scored a 48-46 road victory over Cornell on opening night of the 2014-15 season. Sophomore guard Deanna Mayza led Hartford with 15 points, her 12th career game with double figures. Hartford will return to action on Monday night when they travel to Central Connecticut for a 7 p.m. tip off.

Mayza, who finished 5-of-9 from the field also led the Hawks with seven assists, tying her career high set against Maine last season. The Pennsburg, Pa. native hit a second chance three pointer with 70 seconds remaining that gave Hartford a 47-44 lead. Cornell would manage a layup with five seconds remaining, while Mayza provided a two-point lead with 2.7 seconds remaining, hitting 1-of-2 at the free throw line. A last second attempt by the Big Red came after time expired, ending the contest.

Hartford finished the game shooting 34.0 percent overall on 18-of-53, including 5-of-20 from beyond the three point arc for 25 percent. Defensively, the Hawks held Cornell to 31.7 percent (19-of-60) from the field, while the Big Red converted just one of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. As a team, Hartford finished with a 47-38 rebounding advantage, led by senior Cherelle Moore who finished with nine.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS 

·        Deanna Mayza scored a second chance three pointer with 70 seconds remaining that broke a 44-44 tie and gave Hartford a lead it would not relinquish. Mayza finished with a game-high 15 points and tied her career-high with seven assists.

·        The 48-46 victory over Cornell is the 11th season opening win under 16th year head coach Jen Rizzotti. It also pulls coach Rizzotti within 10 victories of reaching her 300th career win.

·        Joining Mayza in leading the Hawks was senior Amber Bepko who finished with seven points and sophomores Alyssa Reaves who chipped in six and Morgan Lumb who added five.

·        As a team the Hawks finished with a 47-38 advantage on the boards, led by senior Cherelle Moore who finished with nine. Reaves and freshman Darby Lee each added seven rebounds. The Hawks finished with 11 offensive rebounds, turning those into 11 second chance points, including Mayza's go-ahead three pointer with 1:10 remaining.

·        The Hawks twice erased a seven point deficit, once in each half. In the first half, the Hawks answered by holding Cornell to one point over a six minute stretch, allowing them to tie the score at 23 with two minutes remaining. In the second half, Hartford responded with an 11-2 run that ended in a 39-37 lead thanks to a second chance three pointer from senior Shanise Bultron.

·        As a team, Hartford outshot Cornell, making 34 percent of their attempts 18-of-53. The Hawks also combined to shoot 25 percent from beyond the three point arc on 5-of-20. Cornell finished the game shooting 31.7 percent on 19-of-60.

 FROM THE COACH
"It's probably not a good sign when we win and I'm not happy," said head coach Jen Rizzotti. "I thought we played hard but we were unfocused and really struggled to execute over the course of the game. I think Deanna [Mayza] made some big plays for us, but I feel like some of her mistakes could have cost us the game. That's why we keep pushing her to improve. Overall, this game gives us a lot to look at and work on, that's why it's good to play these games early."

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Sophomore Morgan Lumb opened the game and the season hitting the Hawks first field goal attempt of the year, a three pointer thanks to an assist from classmate Deanna Mayza. The Hawks' first two baskets in the game were both from beyond the three point arc as senior Amber Bepko's first basket of the game gave Hartford an early 6-2 lead just over three minutes in.

·        Hartford would hold the lead through the first five minutes of the game before a fast break layup from Christine Kline provided the first lead change. The Big Red would extend their lead to as much as seven with under eight minutes remaining.

·        The Hawks answered their largest deficit by holding Cornell without a field goal over a six minute stretch, scoring eight of nine points to tie the game at 23. Mayza would provide a pair of free throws with 1:52 remaining before the intermission that tied the score. Those two free throws would be the final points of the half for Hartford, who trailed 25-23 at the break.

·        Sophomore forward Alyssa Reaves led Hartford's scoring in the opening half with six points, including back-to-back layups that broke the Big Red's 7-0 run. As a team, Hartford finished the half shooting 34.6 percent on 9-of-26 overall. They also made 2-of-10 attempts from beyond the arc. 
 

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS 

·        Sophomore Deanna Mayza scored 11 points in the second half, including six in the final 4:30. Included in those six points was a three pointer with 1:10 remaining that gave Hartford a 47-43 lead and a free throw with 2.7 seconds remaining that resulted in the final tally, 48-46.

·        The Hawks erased a seven point deficit, tied for the largest of the game, with an 11-2 run, capped off by a second chance three pointer from senior Shanise Bultron that gave Hartford a 39-37 lead with just under eight minutes remaining.

·        Freshman Darby Lee scored her first collegiate points on a layup with 11:14 remaining in the game. That basket started an 8-0 rally for Hartford and was the first of three second half baskets for the rookie who finished with six points and four of her seven total rebounds in the second half.
 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

·        Deanna Mayza's 15 points is the 12th double figure game of her career, while her seven assists tied a career-high set last season against Maine.

·        The season opening victory over Cornell puts head coach Jen Rizzotti 10 wins shy of reaching her next coaching milestone, 300 career wins.

·        The Hawks finished the game outshooting Cornell, making 34 percent of their 53 attempts from the field. Included were five three pointers, with Mayza leading the team with a pair.

·        Hartford finished its season opening victory outrebounding the Big Red 47-38, led by senior Cherelle Moore who finished with nine rebounds.
 

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less) 

·        Four points in the final 70 seconds from sophomore Deanna Mayza secured the Hawks season opening victory 48-46 over Cornell.

·        Sophomore Deanna Mayza finished the season opener with 15 points, while tying her career high with seven assists.  

·        Senior Cherelle Moore led the Hawks with nine rebounds, while as a team, Hartford posted a 46-38 rebounding edge.

·        The Hawks freshman class provided nine points and nine rebounds in their collegiate debut.
 

UP NEXT
The Hawks continue a two-game season-opening road swing with a nine mile drive to New Britain, Conn. for a date with the CCSU Blue Devils. Hartford and Central Connecticut are scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip off at Detrick Gymnasium on Monday, Nov. 17.