WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore Morgan Lumb led all Hawks scorers with 14 points as the University of Hartford women's basketball team (5-8) dropped a 64-51 decision to the Princeton Tigers (14-0) in the opening round of the Fordham Holiday Classic. Hartford will now take on the Savannah State Tigers on Tuesday afternoon with a 1 p.m. tip in the consolation game, which is also the Hawks final non-conference game in 2014-15.

Lumb finished the game shooting 5-of-10 overall with 10 of her 14 points coming in the second half. She represented the only Hartford player to finish in double figures. Senior's Shanise Bultron and Cherelle Moore joined her in leading the team with eight points each.

As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 20-of-50 from the field for 40 percent, including making 5-of-20 attempts from beyond the three point arc for 25 percent. Bultron and sophomore Morgan Lumb each finished with a pair of long range baskets to lead the outside shooting.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·        Sophomore guard Morgan Lumb led nine Hartford players who provided scoring with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-6 from beyond the three point arc. Lumb's 14 points represented the only Hartford player in double figures, her second game of the season with 10 or more points.

·        Joining Lumb in leading the overall scoring was senior's Shanise Bultron and Cherelle Moore who each finished with eight points, while freshman Darby Lee scored six points in her return to the court.

·        The Hawks outscored Princeton 31-19 over the final 20 minutes, led by Lumb who scored 10 of her team-high 14 points in the second half. Classmate Deanna Mayza added all five of her points in the second half while freshmen Cassidy Bundy and Lee each tallied four points.

·        Hartford's best shooting also came in the second half when they connected on 57 percent of their overall attempts, 12-of-21, including three three pointers in eight attempts.  

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Senior guard Shanise Bultron led six Hawks in the scoring column in the opening half with five points on a three pointer and a jump shot. Joining her in leading the way was classmate Cherelle Moore and sophomore Morgan Lumb who added four points each.

·        The Hawks best rally in the opening half came midway through the stanza as Hartford rattled off seven unanswered points that led to a 22-14 deficit with 9:39 remaining. All seven points came within a span of 65 seconds, while defensively, the Hawk held Princeton without a point for more than three minutes. All seven points in the rally came from different players, led by Christie Michals who hit a three pointer, while senior's Amber Bepko and Moore each added baskets.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        The Hawks came out of the intermission to score seven of the first nine points to cut into the Princeton lead. Senior Shanise Bultron opened the second half scoring with a three pointer 37 seconds into the action while sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza provided the next two baskets, back-to-back, over a 52 second span.

·        Sophomore Morgan Lumb led all Hawks in the second half as she scored 10 of her team-high 14 points over the final 20 minutes. In the second half alone, Lumb shot 4-of-5 from the field, which included knocking down both of her three pointers.

·        With 12:20 remaining in the contest, the Hawks mounted their largest rally of the game when they scored nine unanswered points to cut Princeton's lead to 14 with 7:45 remaining. Lumb and senior Cherelle Moore provided all nine of the points with Lumb scoring a three pointer and a layup that sandwiched back-to-back baskets from Moore, including a fast break layup off a takeaway on the defensive end.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        The team-high 14 points for sophomore guard Morgan Lumb is her second time this season scoring in double figures. Her five made field goals also ties her season high set previously against Boston College when she posted a season-high 16 points.

·        Both of the team scoring totals in the second half were among the best of the season for Hartford. Defensively, the 19 points Princeton was held to is the second lowest allowed by an opponent in the second half this season, while the 31 points offensively is tied for the third most the Hawks have scored in the second half.

·        The Hawks second half field goal percentage of 57.1 percent is the best second half field goal percentage of the season. The previous high was 50 percent. Hartford finished today's game making 12-of-21 attempts over the final 20 minutes.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        Sophomore Morgan Lumb led nine Hartford scorers with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 in the second half.

·        Hartford posted some of its best numbers of the season in the second half, including a season-high 57.1 percent field goal effort.

UP NEXT
The Hawks close out the Fordham Holiday Classic and their non-conference schedule on Tuesday afternoon when they take on Savannah State in the consolation game at 1 p.m. at Rose Hill Gym. Savannah State fell in the first game of the Fordham Holiday Classic to the host Rams, 63-53.