WEST HARTFORD, Conn.  –  The University of Hartford men's basketball team put aside a four-game losing skid on Tuesday night as it scored a 62-61 win over Binghamton at the Events Center. With the victory, Hartford improves to 12-11 overall while evening its record in the America East to 5-5. The Bearcats drop to 4-21 on the season with a 3-7 mark in the conference.

Hartford, which was forced to play without its top scorer and rebounder, Mark Nwakamma, enjoyed a well-balanced attack that featured nine different scorers. The Hawks made 12-of-26 three-pointers, including four from rookie reserve Jack Hobbs, who netted all 12 of his career-best points in the first half to help put his team in front at halftime. Sophomore Justin Graham added 11 points for his third double-figure scoring outing in four games. 

Using seven first-half three-pointers to build a 30-24 lead at the half, the Hawks went up by as many as 17 points with 12:09 left in the second stanza thanks to a half-opening, 15-4 run. But Binghamton got hot, and with a 17-2 run of its own, it managed to close the gap down to a single possession at 47-45 with 6:02 left on the clock.

Graham and Taylor Dyson picked Hartford up as they each knocked down three-pointers in the next two possessions to make it a 53-47 Hawks' advantage with 4:20 left. But a 1-of-5 effort from the free throw line by Hartford over the next four minutes allowed Binghamton to keep the game close down the stretch. Binghamton went on to miss four of its next five shots, though, and with 14.5 seconds left, senior Wes Cole's two free throws finally finished the Bearcats off by making it a 62-56 game. The Bearcats would score five points in the last two seconds on a Bobby Ahern layup and a buzzer-beating three from Marlon Beck II.

Justin McFadden and Romello Walker paced the Bearcats with 13 points each. Beck and Yacob Yosef contributed 10 points apiece.

The Hawks have the next six days off before they return to action next Tuesday (February 10) with a home game against New Hampshire. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

THE TURNING POINT:
Following a 17-2 Bearcats' run that turned a 17-point Hawks' lead into a slim, two-point advantage (47-45) with 6:02 left, Hartford was able to manufacture baskets at key points to hold on to its lead. On their next two possessions, the Hawks drilled three-pointers and with 14.5 seconds left, Wes Cole reversed a trend of missed Hawks' free throws by nailing 2-of-2 to put the visiting team up by six at 62-56. In the final two seconds, the Bearcats trimmed their deficit down to four with a Bobby Ahearn layup with 1.5 seconds left, before Hartford threw a pass into the hands of Binghamton in the backcourt to allow a buzzer beating, Marlon Beck II three-pointer to provide the final score of 62.61.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

·         Trailing for the first nine minutes of the game, Hartford wheeled-off 11-straight points within a four and a half minute span to erase a 14-10 deficit and take a 21-14 lead. A Justin Graham layup with 9:04 remaining gave the Hawks their first lead of the game during that stretch, which was capped by a John Carroll layup at the 6:15 mark.

·         Following five points from the Bearcats, freshman Jack Hobbs, who contributed a three in Hartford's previous run, sank three-pointers in three-consecutive Hartford possessions to push his team's advantage to 30-19 with 2:47 to go. Another 5-0 Binghamton spurt over the last 2:29 of the half would close the gap down to six points (30-24) at the break.

·         After halftime, Hartford got hot again as it expanded its lead to 17 points (45-28) thanks to a half-opening,15-4 run, that was fueled by three-pointers from a trio of seniors in Yolonzo Moore II, Nate Sikma and Wes Cole. Cole's triple – his second of the game – gave the Hawks their largest lead at 45-28 with 12:06 remaining.

·         Momentum again shifted, though. This time, it was Binghamton that rattled off a huge run as it scored 17 of the game's next 19 points to climb back and come within two points. Sophomore Yacob Yosef contributed seven points during that stretch, knocking down a pair of threes, including the long ball that closed the gap down to 4745 at the 6:02 mark.

·         Hartford never saw its lead diminish, as Justin Graham and Taylor Dyson each knocked down threes within a 63 second span to make it a 53-47 Hawks' advantage with 4:20 left to play. The Hawks allowed the Bearcats to keep things interesting, though, as they made just 1-of-5 free throws over a minute-long stretch. With 14.5 seconds remaining, Cole converted on both of his free throw attempts to put Hartford in front, 62-56. His makes proved to be the deciding factor, despite the Bearcats closing out the game by scoring five points in the final two seconds.   

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 

·         Hartford shot 42.9-percent (21-of-49) on the night, including 46.2-percent from three (12-of-26)

·         The Hawks struggled to convert from the free throw line in the second half as they went 8-of-15, including 3-of-8 in the final 1:42, to allow the Bearcats to linger

·         Freshman Jack Hobbs connected on four three-pointers, all in the first half, to finish with a career-high 12 points; three of those triples came on consecutive possessions that gave Hartford a 30-19 lead with 2:47 remaining in the first half

·         Sophomore Justin Graham rounded out the Hawks' top scorers with 11 points while senior Nate Sikma added nine points and seven rebounds

·         The Hawks had assists on 17 of 21 field goals 

NEWS AND NOTES: 

·         Hartford picked up its ninth-straight victory over Binghamton on Tuesday night after escaping with a 62-61 decision in Vestal

·         The Hawks were playing without top scorer and rebounder Mark Nwakamma, who went down with an injury in Saturday's first half against Vermont

·         Fifth-year head coach John Gallagher shook up the starting five against the Bearcats for the third time this season, choosing to go with a senior-led lineup in Nate Sikma, Jamie Schneck, Corban Wroe, Wes Cole, and Yolonzo Moore II

·         Leading 30-24 at the break, the Hawks improve to 9-1 in games where they hold a halftime advantage

·         Sophomore Justin Graham scored in double-digits for the third time in four games after finishing with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor, including a 2-of-2 effort from three-point land

·         Freshman Jack Hobbs converted on four first-half three-pointers, three of which came back-to-back-to-back within a 90 second stretch, to finish with a career-high 12 points

·         Making two key free throws with 14.5 seconds left that put Hartford ahead, 62-56, Cole remains perfect  from the charity stripe this season at 13-of-13 

UP NEXT:.
The Hawks have a seven-day break before they return to action on Tuesday, February 10 with a home game against New Hampshire. Tipoff from the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 860.768.HAWK, by visiting the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office, or by visiting www.HartfordHawks.com.