PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Amber Bepko scored 18 points to lead the University of Hartford women's basketball team (8-9, 2-1 America East) in a 68-57 loss to the Maine Black Bears on Saturday afternoon. Bepko was joined by classmate Cherelle Moore in leading the Hawks as she chipped in 12 points, while leading the squad with six rebounds.

As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 47.7 percent from the field (21-of-44), including making 8-of-19 attempts from beyond the three point arc for a 42.1 percent effort. Included in the Hawks overall shooting efforts was a season-best 56.0 percent (14-of-25) over the first 20 minutes of the contest.

Leading the individual shooting was Bepko and Moore who combined to shoot 11-of-21 for the game, with Bepko adding a 4-of-8 effort from long range. Joining the pair in the scoring column was Christie Michals and Morgan Lumb who each finished with eight points, which is a season-high for Michals. Michals finished the afternoon contest shooting 3-of-4 overall including making two of her three attempts from beyond the three point arc.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·        Senior Amber Bepko led the Hawks in scoring for the seventh time this season as she finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-8 from beyond the three point arc.

·        Bepko's 18 points joined one other Hawk in double figures as classmate Cherelle Moore finished right on her season average with 12 points making 50 percent of her field goal attempts (5-of-10). Moore also led Hartford's rebounding efforts with six boards.

·        The Hawks finished the game shooting 47.7 percent overall (21-of-44), including a season-high 56 percent in the opening half, making 14-of-25 attempts from the field. Included in that first half total was a 7-of-12 effort form beyond the three point arc led by Bepko and Christie Michals who combined to go 5-of-7 from three point territory.

·        Michals finished the game with a season-high eight points as she missed just one of her four field goal attempts. Two of her three field goals came from beyond the three point arc as she also grabbed a trio of rebounds and dished out a pair of assists.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza finished her ninth game of the season with five-plus assists, dishing out a game-high seven against the Black Bears, all of which came in the opening half. This is also the 14th game of the year, in 17 total, that she has led the team in assists.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        The Hawks finished the opening half with a season-high 56 percent shooting effort making 14 of their 25 attempts from the field. Included in that total were seven three pointers in 12 attempts for a 58.3 percent effort.

·        Senior Amber Bepko led the Hawks in the first half, scoring 11 of her 18 total points in the first 20 minutes. She closed out the half making 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

·        Junior forward Christie Michals joined her in leading the team in the first half as she scored eight points, a season high, on 3-of-4 overall, including a pair of three pointers.

·        In addition to a 35-28 lead at the intermission, the Hawks also led the battle of the boards following the first 20 minutes with a 14-13 advantage led by Michals who pulled down three.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza collected seven assists in the first half, the second-straight game she has dished out five-plus assists in the opening half.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Amber Bepko again led the Hawks in scoring in the second half as she finished with seven points followed by classmate Cherelle Moore who chipped in six, while leading the way with five second half rebounds.

·        The Hawks used a two minute span late in the second half to rattle off six unanswered points that pulled Hartford within eight, 62-54, with 1:45 remaining. Junior Morgan Lumb scored half of the points in that run, the first two on a fast break steal and layup just before the two minute mark.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        Amber Bepko's 18 points represented the eighth time this season she has scored 15 or more points in a game. It is also the seventh time this season that she has led the team in scoring, the most for any individual player.

·        The Hawks posted a season-high 56 percent first half shooting effort making 14-of-25 field goal attempts. The previous high in the first half was 48.5 percent back on November 17 against CCSU.

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza dished out a game-high seven assists, all of which came in the first half. This is the second-straight game that she has dished out five or more assists in the opening half.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        Senior Amber Bepko led the team in scoring for the seventh time with 18 points on 6-of-11 overall and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

·        Point guard Deanna Mayza dished out a game-high seven assists, the 14th time this season she has led the team in assists.

·        As a team, the Hawks shot 56 percent in the opening half (14-of-25), a season high in the first 20 minutes.

UP NEXT
The Hawks enjoy a week hiatus before returning to the hardwood on Saturday, January 17 for the first of three games in five days. Hartford's first test will come on the road at UMass Lowell with a 2 p.m. tip off scheduled at the Costello Athletic Center.