THE BASICS:

RESULT: New Hampshire 82, Hartford 52
LOCATION: Lundholm Gymnasium (Durham, N.H.)
ATTENDANCE: 827
RECORDS: Hartford (8-21, 3-11 America East); New Hampshire (17-11, 8-6)

THE LEAD:
New Hampshire used a strong rally midway through the first half to take away the momentum en route to an 82-52 victory over the Hartford men's basketball team on Saturday. The Wildcats shot 47.0 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from downtown in the victory.
 
The Wildcats placed four players in double figures, led by Jaleen Smith's 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding 11 rebounds as well to post a double-double. Tanner Leissner (15), Daniel Dion (14) and Jordan Reed (10) scored in double digits as well in the win. The Wildcats had a strong effort on the boards, outrebounding the Hawks 51-30.
 
Andrew Ramirez posted his first game in double figures for the Hawks with 12 points. He was joined in double digits by J.R. Lynch (13) and Jason Dunne (11), while Hassan Attia added eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Hartford was without the services of starters Jalen Ross and John Carroll, with Dunne and Lynch limited due to injury as well.

FIRST HALF:
Hartford started the opening stanza with tremendous play at both ends. Ramirez got the Hawks on the board with a layup and a Lynch three pushed the lead to 5-0. Attia got the next four points for the visitors and a Ramirez free throw made it 10-1. After UNH canned its first field goal, the Hawks got another triple, this one from Dunne, to push the lead to 13-3.
 
But UNH came roaring back with an 18-0 run to take a 21-13 lead. A Lynch three-ball stemmed the tide, but the Wildcats were able to maintain their lead, pushing it to 29-22 after a Lynch jumper at 4:33. A Dion three got the momentum back with the home squad and UNH locked down defensively, carrying a 14-1 rally into the locker room for a 43-23 lead at the break.
 
SECOND HALF:
Out of the half, UNH continued its hot hand from the field, converting tough opportunities down low to push the lead to 50-26. Hartford got a spring in its step from a couple Attia blocks to cut it down to 52-31 following an Attia layup down low, but the Wildcats repeatedly delivered three-balls and three-point plays to push the advantage to 65-35.
 
Hartford was able to slow UNH's offensive attack at that juncture, and a Ramirez three gave the visitors some momentum. The Hawks cut the lead to 67-41 on a Dunne three, but UNH continued to convert on the offensive end, and Hartford was unable to overcome the deficit.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Attia moved into sole possession of fourth place on the Hawks' single-season blocks list, with 55 this season. NBA All-Star Vin Baker is the only Hartford player ahead of him, doing so in his sophomore (58), junior (100) and senior (74) seasons.
• Lynch scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game and the fifth time in the last seven. He has 88 points in the last seven games.
• Dunne returned to the lineup after missing the Stony Brook contest. He finished in double figures for the fifth time in his last six games.
• TreVaughn Wilkerson delivered four blocks, a season high.
• The Hawks were without the services of Ross and Carroll, both of whom are hopeful to return to the court next week.

 
UP NEXT:
The Hawks return home to take on Binghamton on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. The game will be Senior Night, with the Hawks honoring Jalen Ross and student manager Jason Radowitz prior to the contest. Tickets are available by calling 860.768.HAWK or visiting HartfordHawks.com.