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WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Cherelle Moore closed out her career at the Chase Family Arena with a 17 point, 12 rebound double double  to lead the University of Hartford women's basketball team to a 56-49 victory over the Stony Brook Seawolves in the 2014-15 regular season finale. Hartford will begin its quest for a sixth America East Championship on Saturday, March 7 as the fifth seed in the 2015 tournament. The Hawks will open postseason play against fourth seeded New Hampshire with the game set to tip off at approximately 2:15 p.m.

Joining Moore in leading the Hawks was sophomore's Deanna Mayza and Morgan Lumb who finished with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Mayza added six assists and four rebounds to her 15 points, while Lumb finished with five boards and a pair of assists coming off the bench.

As a team, Hartford finished the game shooting 43.1 percent overall on 22-of-51, while making 4-of-10 three point attempts (40.0 percent). The Hawks also finished 8-of-10 at the free throw line, including a 3-of-4 effort at the line in the final 31 seconds that pushed the game out of reach for the Seawolves. Leading the Hawks shooting efforts individually was Moore who finished just shy of 50 percent from the field on 8-of-17.

Moore's 12 rebounds were part of 32 total for the team, as the Hawks trailed the Seawolves by just three rebounds overall. Moore also led the Hawks with three steals as Hartford forced the Seawolves into 14 turnovers and turned those mistakes into 13 points.

SENIOR DAY

·       Prior to taking on the Stony Brook Seawolves, the Hawks honored their four seniors; Amber Bepko, Shanise Bultron, Cherelle Moore, and Katie Roth. Over their four year career at Hartford, this senior class has collected 67 wins and advanced to the postseason in two previous years.

·       In a show of sportsmanship, senior Katie Roth, who suffered a career ending injury earlier this season, started her final home game in a Hartford uniform, taking the opening tip before be substituted for by junior Christie Michals.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·       Senior forward Cherelle Moore capped off her regular season home career with her fifth double double, leading all players in the game with 17 points, while pulling in 12 rebounds. The Bridgeport, Conn. native finished the game shooting 8-of-17 from the field, while also grabbing a game-high three steals.

·       Joining Moore in double figures to lead the Hawks scorers were sophomore guards Deanna Mayza and Morgan Lumb. Mayza finished with 15 points while dishing out six assists and grabbing four rebounds. Lumb finished just behind her with 14 points, making 5-of-8 field goal attempts, while adding five rebounds and two assists. Three of Lumb's baskets came from beyond the three point arc where she finished 3-of-4 overall.

·       Mayza's six assists were part of 11 total for the Hawks as she dished out five or more for the second straight game and the 18th time this season. It is also the 13th time this year that she has led the Hawks in assists. Her six against Stony Brook, pushes the sophomore point guard into second all-time in a single season with 151 total.

·       As a team, the Hawks finished with 32 total rebounds, three shy of the Seawolves overall. Moore's 12 rebounds tie for the season high by an individual player, which she set originally against Binghamton on January 6. Nine of Moore's 12 rebounds came on the defensive glass, also tying a season-high for all players.

·       Combined, Hartford outshot its opponent 43 percent (22-of-51) to 35 percent (20-of-57), the 14th time this season the Hawks have shot better than the opposition. When outshooting its opponent, Hartford is 12-2 overall.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·       Hartford and Stony Brook exchanged leads five times over the first 11-plus minutes of the game with Hartford taking the last lead change with 7:51 remaining before the break thanks to a layup from Cherelle Moore. That basket was followed by a three pointer from Deanna Mayza which provided the largest lead for either team to that point at 17-13.

·       Hartford would match that lead at 19-15 with 2:58 remaining before the Seawolves tied the game at 19 with 80 seconds remaining. The Hawks answered that stalemate by scoring the final five points of the half, including a three pointer with six seconds remaining. That last basket was set up by Mayza as classmate Morgan Lumb knocked down her second bucket from beyond the arc in the half.

·       Moore led all scorers in the first half as she finished one point shy of double figures with nine total. She also pulled in five rebounds, while shooting 4-of-9 from the field. Mayza also finished the first half with seven points, both scoring more than any player for the Seawolves in the first 20 minutes.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·       Hartford came out of the locker room and scored the first four points of the second half to take what was the biggest lead to that point, 28-19, just 65 seconds into the action. Both baskets came from the senior class as Shanise Bultron and Amber Bepko each laid in their first points of the afternoon.

·       Stony Brook would battle to tie the score twice in the first six minutes of the second half, but could never exchange a lead in the final 20 minutes. The last of those stalemates came at 33-33, to which the Hawks answered by scoring four-straight points and eight of the next 11 to take a 41-35 lead with 10:40 remaining.

·       Hartford then held the Seawolves without a basket over a six minute stretch that allowed the Hawks to take their first double digit lead at 47-37 with 6:18 remaining. The final four points in that run came from the sophomore class as Morgan Lumb hit a jumper at the seven minute mark and Deanna Mayza sank two free throws to provide the 10 point edge.

·       Hartford's largest lead of the game came with 4:32 remaining as La'Trice Hall came off the bench and scored her first points of the game, followed by a 2-of-2 effort at the line from Bepko that provided a 51-40 lead.

·       Holding onto a four point margin with 60 seconds remaining, the Hawks took advantage at the free throw line, making 3-of-4 over the final 31.6 seconds to ice the victory and put the game out of reach. A three point attempt out of a timeout for the Seawolves proved off the mark as Hartford completed the season sweep of Stony Brook.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·       Senior Cherelle Moore extended her team high in double doubles to five, leading the Hawks with 17 points and 12 rebounds in a Senior Day victory over the Stony Brook Seawolves. The 17 points for Moore is her 18th game of the season scoring in double figures, second most on the team.

·       Moore's 12 rebounds also tied the season-high for all players, a mark she set earlier in the season against conference foe Binghamton. Included in Moore's 12 rebounds were nine on the defensive glass, which also tied a season high for all players.

·       All three of the Hawks double digit scorers finished with more points than any of the Stony Brook players. Joining Moore in doubles figures was sophomore's Deanna Mayza (15) and Morgan Lumb (14).

·       In addition to Mayza's 15 points she dished out six assists, her second-straight game with five or more helpers. Those six assists for Mayza give her 151 total for the season, which pushes her into second all-time in a single season, 17 shy of tying Maureen DiJulia for the school record, a feat she set in 1998-99.

·       The 56-49 victory over Stony Brook completed a season sweep of the Seawolves, the third team this season that Hartford has beat both on the road and at the Chase Family Arena. The previous two season sweeps came against Vermont and Binghamton.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·       SR forward Cherelle Moore completed her team-leading fifth double double of the season with 17 points and 12 boards.

·       SO's Deanna Mayza (15) and Morgan Lumb (14) also added double figures as all three leading scorers scored more than any Seawolve player.

·       SO PG Deanna Mayza also dished out 6 assists, giving her 151 total for the season, 2nd most all-time in a single season in program history.

UP NEXT
The Hawks begin their quest for a sixth America East Championship on Saturday, March 7 when they enter the 2015 tournament as the fifth seed and take on fourth seeded New Hampshire. Hartford and UNH are scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip off with the winner advancing to the semifinals to meet the winner of first seeded Maine versus eight seeded Binghamton.