STONY BROOK, N.Y.  – The University of Hartford men's basketball team suffered a hard-fought loss at Stony Brook on Wednesday night in a 72-66 decision. Three Hawks netted double-figures, led by 15 points from junior Taylor Dyson, as Hartford (11-10) dips to 4-4 in America East action with its third-straight setback.

Hartford led by as many as 10 points in the first half and saw a 48-40 lead turn into a seven-point deficit with 6:15 to play thanks to a 15-0 Seawolves' rally. Led by 22 points from Roland Nyama, 19 of which came in the game-deciding second stanza, Stony Brook improves to 6-2 in the league and 15-8 overall.

After clawing back to close the gap to two points at 57-55 thanks to a three-pointer from Taylor Dyson at the 4:18 mark, Hartford was unable to reclaim its lead. Hampered by foul trouble the entire second half, the Hawks sent the Seawolves to the line often. Despite a 1-of-7 start, Stony Brook made 21 of its final 26 freebies, including 11-of-13 in the game's final 2:50.

Hartford  kept it interesting in the final minutes as senior Corban Wroe, Dyson and senior Wes Cole each converted from long range, but the Hawks had no choice but to stop time by sending the Seawolves back to the free throw line. With 1:28 and the Hawks down by four points, senior Yolonzo Moore II came up short on his three from the top of the key, allowing Stony Brook to ice the game from the free throw line.

Wroe and senior Mark Nwakamma rounded out the Hawks' double-figure scorers with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Stony Brook shot 50.0-percent in the decisive second half while committing just two turnovers during that stretch. Jameel Warney, the America East's leading scorer, was held to four first half points and went on to join teammate Carson Puriefoy with 13 points.

The Hawks return home to open up their second tour through the conference when they host second-place Vermont (7-1) on Saturday afternoon. The 2 p.m. clash will be broadcasted live on ESPN3.

THE TURNING POINT:
With Hartford leading by three at the half and hanging on to an eight-point edge thanks to a Corban Wroe three-pointer with 10:48 remaining, Stony Brook quickly made its way back in the game. Ripping off 15-straight points over the next four and a half minutes, the Seawolves erased their deficit and took a seven-point lead at 55-48 with 6:15 to go. The Hawks managed to trim their first disadvantage since the game's opening minute down to two points at 57-55 with 4:18 to go, but kept sending Stony Brook to the free throw line. With no choice but to stop the clock by fouling, the home team kept their distance, despite Wroe, Taylor Dyson and Wes Cole all coming up with key three-pointers in the final 2:38.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

·         Applying the pressure on the defensive end and scoring 12 points off seven Stony Brook turnovers, Hartford built a 10-point lead at 26-16 with 4:42 to go. The Seawolves managed to close the gap before halftime, though, as they scored nine unanswered points before a John Carroll jumper at the buzzer made it a 28-25 Hawks edge after the first period.

·         Stony Brook quickly tied up the game at 34-all at the 15:42 mark of the second half, but a 7-0 spurt capped by Wes Cole's first of two three-pointers on the night put the Hawks in front, 41-34, with 13:56 to go. The Hawks held on to their lead and were up by eight points thanks to a Corban Wroe three-pointer at the 10:48 mark, but that advantage wouldn't last for long as Stony Brook got hot.

·         Over a span of 3:48, the Seawolves put 15-straight points on the scoreboard to erase their deficit and take a seven-point lead (55-48) with 6:15 to go. What proved to be the game-deciding run was sparked by four-straight Roland Nyama points and capped by his three-pointer.

·         The Hawks brought that deficit down to a single possession on a Mark Nwakamma layup and a Taylor Dyson three, but it wasn't enough as a Carson Puriefoy layup followed by a three-point play from Rayshaun McGrew pushed the Seawolves' lead back to seven at 62-55. Already in the double bonus, the Seawolves cashed in from the free throw line down the stretch and preserved their lead despite the Hawks draining three from long range in the game's closing minutes. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

·         With both teams hovering around the 40.0-percent mark in the first half, Stony Brook outshot Hartford in the decisive second, going 50.0-percent (11-of-22) to Hartford's 35.5-percent (11-of-31)

·         The Hawks' first-half defense was impressive, as they forced the Seawolves into seven turnovers and scored 12 points off those miscues to help build a 28-25 edge at the break

·         Hartford went on to score 18 points off of Stony Brook's turnovers

·         In the first half, Hartford held reigning America East Player of the Year and the league's top-scorer Jameel Warney to four points

·         Warney went on to finish with 13 points on the night

·         Hartford was hampered by foul trouble the entire second half; freshman John Carroll, who scored nine first-half points, picked up his fourth four two minutes into the stanza while senior Mark Nwakamma had three fouls before the 13:25 mark

·         From the free throw line, the Seawolves missed six of their first seven shots; they went on to capitalize on Hartford's foul trouble, though, and closed out the game by making  21-of-26

·         Stony Brook's Roland Nyama paced all-scorers with 22 points, netting 19 in the final 20 minutes

·         In the game's final 2:50, Stony Brook made 11-of-13 free throws to seal the win 

NEWS AND NOTES: 

·         Prior to Wednesday's loss at Stony Brook, the Hawks were a perfect 8-0 when leading at the halftime break

·         The Hawks' current three-game slide is their longest this season, and the longest since they dropped three-straight in conference play last season, a drought that started with a 60-58 road loss at UMBC

·         Hartford has lost its last four to Stony Brook, with three of those losses being decided by six points or less

·         In Long Island, the Hawks have not beaten the Seawolves in six games, since February 2008

·         With his second of five assists, senior Yolonzo Moore II moved into eighth place on Hartford's Division I assists list; he now has 266 on his career

·         One of three players to score in double figures with 10 points, senior Mark Nwakamma is one point shy of 1,500 on his career

·         Hartford shot a season-best 90.9-percent (10-of-11) from the free throw line 

UP NEXT:
The Hawks' second tour through the America East Conference begins on Saturday afternoon when they host Vermont. The clash between the Hawks and Catamounts is slated for a 2 p.m. start and will be broadcasted live on ESPN3. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting the Malcolm & Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office, by calling 860.768.HAWK, or by going to www.HartfordHawks.com.