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WEST HARTFORD, Conn.  – Behind a season-best 13 points from senior Wes Cole, the University of Hartford men's basketball team topped the UMBC Retrievers, 55-53, on Tuesday at the Chase Family Pavilion. Ending a two-game slide with the victory, the Hawks improve to 13-13 overall and 6-7 in America East action. With its sixth-straight loss, UMBC dips to 3-23 and 1-12 in the league.

Cole shot 5-of-10 from the field on the night, making two shots from long range and compiling 10 second-half points. Included in his second-stanza scoring spurt was a jump shot from the elbow that put the Hawks ahead, 53-49, with 39.7 seconds left on the clock.

Senior Corban Wroe added 11 points on a 5-of-7 shooting effort while sophomore Justin Graham, who earned his first career start, put up his fifth-straight double-figure scoring game with 10 points.

The Retrievers shot just 30.4-percent (14-of-46), but kept the game tight from the free throw line where it converted on 75.0-percent of its 28 attempts, including 16-of-20 in the second half. With four seconds left to play, UMBC had a chance to force overtime. Out of a timeout, Malcolm Brent received the inbounds pass and fed an open Will Darley. His three fell short of the mark as time expired allowing Hartford to hold on for the win.

Despite trailing early, the Hawks ended the first half with a 15-5 run to take a 23-18 edge into the locker rooms at the break. The Retrievers clawed back into the game as Brent opened the half on a tear by scoring his team's first nine points. A three-pointer with 14:46 left ended his spurt, but gave the Retrievers a 28-27 advantage. That proved to be the visiting squad's last advantage, though. With the score tied at 32-32 with 10:40 to go, the Hawks held UMBC without a field goal and connected from long range three times to outscore its opponents, 15-4 over the next five minutes to take an 11-point lead (47-36) with 5:13 left.

Down the stretch, UMBC managed to claw back again. Hartford made just 1-of-2 free throws on four occasions in the last two minutes, aiding the Retrievers and allowing them to keep it a single possession game. Three Retrievers scored in double figures, led by Cody Joyce who had 17 points and nine rebounds. Brent checked-in with 13 points while Devarick Houston compiled a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

The Hawks head through the final stretch of the regular season with a trip to Albany on Friday night. The 7 p.m. tip from SEFCU Arena will be televised live on ESPNU.

THE TURNING POINT:
With the score knotted up at 32-all midway through the second half, Hartford wheeled-off a 15-4 run, holding UMBC to just points from the free throw line during that stretch to take its largest lead of the game (11) at 47-36 with 5:13 to go. Despite a late charge from UMBC that made it a single possession game with 69 seconds to go, the Hawks never relinquished their lead and held on for the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

·         UMBC made just 14 field goals on 30.4-percent shooting, including a 21.4-percent effort from three-point land (3-of-14)

·         The Retrievers cashed in from the line, making 21-of-28 free throws including 16-of-20 in the second half to keep the game close

·         Three Hawks finished in double-figures, led by senior Wes Cole, who had a season-high 13 points

·         Hartford outscored UMBC in the paint, 30-22, and had 14 points off of 12 Retrievers' turnovers

·         The battle of the boards belonged to UMBC (37-34) as the Retrievers scored 15 of their points off of second-chance opportunities

·         Hartford made a season-low five three-pointers on 22.7-percent shooting

·         The Hawks held a 23-18 lead at the half and improved to 10-1 when holding a halftime advantage  

NEWS AND NOTES: 

·         With Tuesday's win, Hartford has completed the regular season sweep of UMBC and has improved to 14-12 against the Retrievers

·         The Hawks have won the last three games against the Retrievers

·         Wes Cole's team-leading 13 points are a season-high for the senior

·         In his first career start, sophomore Justin Graham recorded 10 points for his career-best fifth-straight double-figure scoring game; Graham has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games

·         Hartford's last five wins have been decided by six points or less, with three of those contests being decided by two points or less

·         Hartford ended a two-game slide and a four-game home losing streak with Tuesday's win

·         Finishing with three rebounds, senior forward Mark Nwakamma moved into eighth place on Hartford's Division I rebounding list

·         When leading with five minutes to go, Hartford is now 12-0 

UP NEXT:
Hartford heads to Albany to take on the first-place Great Danes for a Friday night tilt that will be televised live on ESPNU. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from SEFCU Arena.