Vestal, N.Y. – Sophomore Deanna Mayza and senior Amber Bepko provided big plays in the final seconds to lead the University of Hartford women's basketball team to a 51-46 road victory at Binghamton on Wednesday night. Bepko closed out the game leading all scorers with 18 points, her team-high 11th time leading the team.

Holding a 47-46 edge with under a minute remaining, Mayza converted a second chance opportunity with a layup in the middle of the key. Mayza's classmate, Morgan Lumb, followed that with a key defensive play on the other end forcing a Bearcats turnover, while Bepko iced the victory going 2-of-2 at the line following that Binghamton mistake.

Joining Bepko in leading the team was senior Cherelle Moore who finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds as the Hawks finished with a 40-31 advantage on the boards. Included in the Hawks 40 rebounds were 14 on the offensive end, which they turned into 16 second chance points, none bigger than Mayza's layup with 35.5 seconds remaining.

Overall, Hartford finished the game shooting 36.7 percent from the field, making 18-of-49 attempts, including nine three pointers which matches the season-high in league play. From beyond the arc, the Hawk finished 9-of-27 for 33.3 percent. The Hawks also combined for 14 assists on the 18 made field goals, led by Mayza, Moore and Alyssa Reaves who each dished out three.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·        A second chance opportunity for sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza with 35.5 seconds remaining helped lead the Hawks to a road victory over Binghamton on Wednesday night. Mayza's put-back basket was followed by a key defensive play by classmate Morgan Lumb as she forced a Bearcats turnover, with senior Amber Bepko securing the victory with a perfect 2-of-2 at the line with seven seconds remaining.  

·        Bepko led all scorers in the game with her team-leading 18th game in double figures as she finished with 18 points on 5-of-16 from the field with all five field goals from beyond the three point arc. The five three pointers for the senior guard ties her season-high.

·        Despite three tie's in the game, Hartford never trailed from start to finish, the fourth time this season the Hawks have led wire-to-wire.

·        Joining Bepko in leading the Hawks was senior Cherelle Moore who chipped in 13 points, as she finished the contest 6-of-12 from the field.

·        The Hawks also won the battle of the boards with a 40-31 margin. Leading the Hawks rebounding efforts was Moore who pulled down eight rebounds, all in the first half. Included in the Hawks 40 total rebounds were 14 off the offensive glass, which they turned into 16 second chance points. Hartford finished the game with a 16-6 lead in that category.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Senior post Cherelle Moore led the Hawks in the opening half with seven points, eight rebounds and three assists. She finished the first 20 minutes making 3-of-7 attempts from the field and 1-of-2 at the free throw line, including scoring the last three points of the half for the Hawks.

·        Hartford took its first double digit lead of the game thanks to a 9-0 run that began with back-to-back three pointers from Amber Bepko and Morgan Lumb. Bepko's three pointer was her second of the game as she opened the scoring with a three pointer off the opening possession thanks to a feed from Moore.

·        Moore would also provide two more assists that helped the Hawks break a Binghamton run that ended with a 16-16 tie. Both of her assists following that Bearcats run led to three pointers as Shanise Bultron went back-to-back from beyond the arc. She would finish the half perfect from the field in her two attempts.

·        Through the first 12 minutes of the half, Hartford held the Bearcats to just 17.6 percent shooting (3-of-17), including just 1-of-10 from beyond the three point arc. Hartford also forced Binghamton into eight turnovers and turned those mistakes into nine points.

·        The Hawks closed out the first half with a 25-17 advantage on the boards, led by Moore's eight. Overall eight of the 10 Hawks who saw time in the first half pulled down at least one rebound.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        The Hawks finished the second half shooting nearly 40 percent, connecting on 9-of-19 from the field for 47.4 percent. Included were four three pointers, while Hartford added four points in seven attempts at the free throw line.

·        Senior guard Amber Bepko led Hartford in the second half, scoring 12 of her game-high 18 points. She finished the second half making 3-of-6 attempts from the field, all three of which came from beyond the arc. She also finished 3-of-4 at the free throw line, including a perfect 2-of-2 effort with seven seconds remaining to secure the victory.

·        The Hawks broke Binghamton's momentum of back-to-back three pointers with a 6-0 run that ended with the Hawks holding a 45-39 advantage. Cherelle Moore began that rally with a jump shot off a feed from Deanna Mayza. Bepko would provide the final four points of the run on a three pointer thanks to a pass from Shanise Bultron and a 1-of-2 effort at the free throw line.

·        Mayza scored all five of the points she had in the game in the second half, with her biggest basket a second chance layup as she drove through the center of the lane and converted a layup with 35.5 seconds remaining. That basket gave Hartford a 49-46 advantage that it would not relinquish.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        Senior Amber Bepko scored in double figures for a team-high 18th time as she led the Hawks with 18 points, including 12 in the second half. Her 18 points register as her 11th game leading the team in scoring, also a team-high.

·        Bepko's classmate Cherelle Moore joined her in double figures with 13 points, her 16th game of the year in double figures. Overall, the Hawks senior class provided 37 of the Hawks 51 points with Shanise Bultron adding six points with all of her field goals from beyond the three point arc.

·        The late field goal for sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza is the second time in the last three games she has provided a basket late in the contest that led to a Hartford victory.

·        Hartford finished the game with nine three pointers which ties the most by the Hawks in league play. Overall for the game, the Hawks were 9-of-27 from beyond the arc for 33.3 percent.  

·        The Hawks led the battle of the boards with a 40-31 margin against Binghamton, the fifth time this season that Hartford has outrebounded an opponent. Overall, the Hawks are 5-0 when pulling down more rebounds than the opposition. Leading the rebounding efforts was Moore who grabbed eight rebounds, her team-high 16th game leading the team in that category.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        SO Deanna Mayza drove the middle of the lane for a second chance layup with 35.5 seconds remaining that helped lead the Hawks to victory.

·        SR guard Amber Bepko finished with a game-high 18 points, her 11th time leading the Hawks in scoring.

·        SR forward Cherelle Moore pulled down eight rebounds for her 16th game leading the team. Overall, the Hawks led 40-31 in rebounding.

·        Hartford is 5-0 when outrebounding their opponent.

·        Included in the 40 rebounds were 14 offensive boards as the Hawks finished with a 16-6 advantage in second chance points.

UP NEXT
The Hawks will play one more game on the road before returning to West Hartford for a game at Chase Family Arena. A trip to Bangor, Maine is next on the docket for the Hawks, who meet the Black Bears on Sunday, February 8. Tip off against the Black Bears is set for 2 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center.