PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.  – The University of Hartford men's basketball team scored its second-straight win on Wednesday as it took down Dartmouth, 53-48, at the Chase Family Arena at Reich Family Pavilion. Senior Yolonzo Moore II scored 13 points, including 10 in the first half, while classmates Mark Nwakamma each chipped in with nine as the Hawks scored their sixth-straight home win. Hartford improves to 2-1 overall while Dartmouth dips to 0-2.

Seeing an 11 point, 30-19 lead dwindle down to four at the break thanks to a 7-0 half-ending Dartmouth run, Moore scored eight of the Hawks' first 12 points of the second half to help Hartford push ahead by eight at 42-34 midway through the stanza. Dartmouth didn't blink though, as it grinded out eight unanswered points capped by three-straight buckets from Gabas Maldunas to tie up the contest at 42-42 with 5:34 left on the clock.

Maldunas finished with 12 points for the Big Green, while Alex Mitola, who kept Dartmouth in the game early with 12 first-half points, tallied 16 to lead all scorers.

The Hawks clamped down defensively down the stretch to hold on for the win. In the game's final 4:25, Hartford conceded just two Dartmouth field goals, the last of which dropped through the cylinder as the final horn sounded. Following a Nwakamma block on a Mitola jumper in the paint, Hartford took a five point lead with 63 seconds left as senior Corban Wroe converted on a back-door cut, using a feed from Moore to make it a 49-44 ball game.

Hartford returns to action on Saturday when it heads to Niagara for a 7 p.m. tip from the Gallagher Center.

THE TURNING POINT:.
Despite leading by 11 points in the first, Hartford entered the halftime break holding on to a four-point edge at 30-26. Pushing that lead to eight midway through the second, the Big Green stormed back with an 8-0 run to tie up the contest at 42-all with just over five minutes remaining. The Hawks came up with clutch stops in the final five minutes, with a Nwakamma block at the 1:34 mark turning into a Wroe bucket to make it a 49-44 advantage with 67 seconds left. Forcing two Big Green turnovers over that final five minutes stretch, Hartford held the visiting squad to just 2-of-8 shooting from the field during that span, with the final bucket coming as the final horn sounded, to hold on for the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

·         For the second time this season, senior guard Yolonzo Moore II led the Hawks in scoring, finishing with 13 points

·         All but one of the 10 Hawks who saw action against Dartmouth reached the scoring column, with seniors Mark Nwakamma and Nate Sikma adding nine points and John Carroll contributing eight in the win

·         All 10 three of the game's three-pointers (six from Hartford, four from Dartmouth), came in the second half; the two teams combined to shoot 0-for-10 in the second half

·         The Hawks forced 19 Big Green turnovers, including two in the final five minutes of the contest

·         During that five-minute stretch, Hartford held Dartmouth to a 2-of-8 effort from the field, with the last field goal coming as the final horn sounded

·         Hartford turned in a 32.7 percent (17-of-52) effort from the floor, but managed to pull out the win despite being outshot by Dartmouth (43.2-percent; 19-of-44)

·         Keeping Dartmouth in the first half with 12 points, Alex Mitola was held to just four second-half points

·         For the third time this season, Hartford was outrebounded as the Big Green pulled down two more boards with a 33-31 edge

·         The Hawks' opponents continue to struggle from downtown as Dartmouth shot a mere 23.5-percent from three, making 4-of-17

·         Hartford visited the charity stripe 12 more times than Dartmouth and converted on 13 of those attempts for a 68.4 percent clip; Dartmouth went 6-of7 from the line 

NEWS & NOTES: 

·         Yolonzo Moore II has led Hartford in scoring twice this season, netting 22 points against Sacred Heart and putting up a team-best 13 Wednesday night against Dartmouth

·         Defeating Dartmouth, the Hawks improve to 2-0 at home and extend their win-streak at Chase Family Arena to six games

·         In his last two outings, freshman John Carroll has averaged 8.5 points per game, scoring eight in tonight's win and nine in Sunday's victory over Saint Peter's

·         The Hawks improve to 10-6 all-time against the Big Green and have won the last two meetings

·         Defeating Dartmouth, Hartford has posted its best three-game start since 2003-04

NEXT UP:
Hartford's next game brings the team outside of the Connecticut state borders for the first time this season. The Hawks head to Niagara, their second opponent from the MAAC in three games, for a 7 p.m. tip against the Purple Eagles on Saturday night.