PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior guard Amber Bepko led all players with 18 points as the University of Hartford women's basketball team (5-7) dropped its final game before the holiday Break, 70-58 to the visiting Quinnipiac Bobcats (9-2). Fifteen of Bepko's 18 points came from beyond the arc with the remaining three on an and-one which began as a put-back layup.

Bepko represented the only Hawk in double figures as sophomore Morgan Lumb and freshman Cassidy Bundy added eight points and Deanna Mayza rounded out the leading scorers with seven. Bundy's eight points were her first of the season as she finished the game 4-of-5 from the field while adding three rebounds.

As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 33.9 percent on 19-of-56, including making eight three pointers in 29 attempts for 27.6 percent. Defensively, Hartford forced the Bobcats into 19 turnovers, the second most of the season. Off of those turnovers, the Hawks scored 10 points.

Senior forward Cherelle Moore led Hartford's rebounding efforts as she finished with eight. Overall, the Hawks dropped the battle of the boards by a 50-27 margin. Included in the 27 total turnovers were 10 on the offensive glass, with Hartford turning those into 10 second chance points.
 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·        Senior Amber Bepko led Hartford in scoring for the fifth time this season while scoring in double figures for the ninth time with a game-high 18 points. For the game, Bepko shot 6-of-10 from the field with five of her made baskets from beyond the three point arc where she finished 5-of-8. Bepko also added a season high seven rebounds and tied Morgan Lumb with a team-high two steals.

·        Freshman Cassidy Bundy scored her first collegiate points as she finished with eight points against the Bobcats, all of which came in the second half. Bundy led Hartford's shooting efforts as she missed just one of the five shots she took.

·        Bepko's seven rebounds were just shy of classmate Cherelle Moore who finished with eight rebounds to lead the Hawks.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza finished her sixth game of the season with five or more assists, dishing out six against the Bobcats. This is her ninth game of the season leading the team in helpers.

·        Defensively, Hartford forced their Constitution State opponent into 19 turnovers, the second most of the season for the MAAC opponent. The Hawks turned those 19 Quinnipiac turnovers into 10 points. Bepko and Lumb each finished with two steals to lead Hartford. 
 

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Six different Hawks provided scoring in the first 20 minutes led by Shanise Bultron who finished with eight points on a pair of three pointers and two free throws. Amber Bepko and Morgan Lumb each added six points in the opening half.

·        All six of Lumb's points came at the free throw line where she finished a perfect 6-of-6.

·        Hartford finished the opening half shooting 26.9 percent overall on 7-of-26, including four three pointers. The Hawks also added 11 points at the free throw line, while the Bobcats took just one free throw and didn't convert.
 

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Amber Bepko led all players in the second half with 12 points on 4-of-7 overall and 3-of-5 from beyond the three point arc. Bepko's 12 points represented the only player in the second half that racked up double figures.

·        Freshman Cassidy Bundy came off the bench for the first time in the second half, scoring her first collegiate buckets and extending her career-high to eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza dished out four of her team-high six assists in the second half, while leading Hartford to a second half 40 percent shooting performance on 12-of-30 from the field.

·        Hartford used a late 13-0 run that pulled the Hawks within single digits at 65-58 with 1:58 remaining in the game. Included in the run were nine points from Bepko as she hit a pair of three pointers after beginning the run with a put back layup that she followed up with a free throw for a three point play.
 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        Senior Amber Bepko led the Hawks in scoring for the fifth time while scoring a game-high 18 points for her ninth game of the season in double figures.

·        Hartford forced Quinnipiac into 19 turnovers, the Bobcats second most in 2014-15. Overall, the Hawks turned those 19 turnovers into 10 points.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza finished her sixth game of the season with five or more assists, dishing out a team-best six, her ninth time leading the team in assists.

·        Freshman Cassidy Bundy came off the bench to score eight points for her first collegiate points. All eight of her points came in the second half as she shot 4-of-5 from the field in 13 minutes of action.
 

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        Senior Amber Bepko led Hartford with 18 points including five three pointers to lead Hartford for the fifth time this season.

·        Sophomore PG Deanna Mayza dished out a team-high six assists for her sixth game of the season with five or more assists.

·        Freshman post Cassidy Bundy scored her first collegiate points and finished the game with a new career-high of eight.

·        Defensively, Hartford forced the Bobcats into 19 turnovers, the second most of the season for the fellow Nutmeg State team.
 

UP NEXT
The Hawks close out the non-conference portion of their schedule with a pair of games at the Fordham Holiday Classic. Hartford will open the two-day event against Princeton on Monday, December 29 and will face either the host Rams or Savannah State on Tuesday, December 30.