THE BASICS:

RESULT: Hartford 72, UAlbany 64
RECORDS: Hartford (8-7); UAlbany (12-4)
LOCATION: SEFCU Arena (Albany, N.Y).
 
THE LEAD:
Shooting a season-best 50 percent from behind the arc, the University of Hartford men's basketball team bested the UAlbany Great Danes, 72-64, on Wednesday night. The Great Danes came into the matchup with an America East-leading record of 12-3, and were ranked No. 4 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll.
 
Redshirt-junior John Carroll and junior J.R. Lynch each posted a team-high 17 points, while juniors Jason Dunne and Travis Weatherington finished with 12 points apiece to pace the Hawks' scoring.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Both teams were neck-and-neck in the opening eight minutes, swapping the lead six times before a three from Carroll ignited a 14-0 Hawks' run. That rally, which featured four different scorers, gave Hartford a 26-16 lead with just over eight minutes left in the half. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the period, with the Hawks taking a 41-31 lead into the break.
• Hartford came out in the second half with a hot hand, going on an 18-8 run to take its largest lead of the game, 59-39, with 12 minutes remaining.
• But the Great Danes would not go out without a fight. Mounting a 22-2 run that included 13 unanswered points, UAlbany tied up the Hawks at 61-61 with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
• The Hawks responded in crunch time, though, going a perfect 11-for-11 from the stripe in the closing two minutes to hold off the Great Danes' comeback bid. Carroll (5-of-5), Lynch (4-of-4) and Dunne (2-of-2) each contributed to that effort from the charity stripe that sealed the 72-64 victory. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS & NOTES:

• Carroll extended his double-figure scoring streak to nine games, a season-best rally for the Hawks that also marks a career-best rally.
• Dunne and Lynch also kept scoring streaks going, as they have netted double figures in each of their last six games.
• The Hawks outshot the Great Danes from the field (25-23), behind the arc (27-24) and from the free-throw line (13-10).
• From three-point land, Hartford shot 50 percent for the first time since going 51.9 percent (14-of-27) in a win at Sacred Heart on Dec. 3, 2016.
• Hartford outrebounded UAlbany (30-28).
• The Hawks recorded a season-high nine blocks, led by senior Hassan Attia's three.
• Hartford, which has won five of its last six, snapped a three-game skid against the Great Danes with the win.

UP NEXT:
The Hawks return home for the first time since Dec. 11, when they play host to Stony Brook on Saturday, Jan. 6. The 7 p.m. tip will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Jeff Dooley and Adam Finkelstein on the call.
 
Tickets for the game are still available, and can be purchased online (www.HartfordHawks.com/tickets), by calling 860-768-HAWK or by visiting the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office, located inside of the Sports Center.