WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Four different players scored in double-figures for Hartford, but it was not enough for the men's basketball team as Central Connecticut pulled away late in the second half to score a 75-68 win Tuesday night.
 
Senior George Blagojevic led the Hawks (0-1) in their season opener with 19 points, shooting a lights out 8-of-10 from the field while adding six rebounds. The Blue Devils (1-0) were led by Tyler Kohl, who finished the game with a double-double, scoring a game-high 30 points and collecting 10 rebounds.

PHOTO GALLERY
 
CCSU 75, HARTFORD 68
The Hawks came out of the gates firing to open the season, knocking down nine of its first 12 shots — including each of its first three-point attempts — to build a 12-point lead (26-14) with 11:11 left in the opening stanza. The Blue Devils cut into Hartford's lead before halftime, though, as a three-pointer by Jamir Coleman with 27 seconds left pulled CCSU within four at 40-36 at the break. Led by 14 points from Blagojevic on 6-of-7 shooting, the Hawks shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from the field during that stretch, making 5-of-9 three-pointers (55.6%). 
 
Central Connecticut continued to chip away in the second half, taking its first lead since the opening minute of the game on a triple by Joe Hugley with 12:48 left to play. The two teams continued to trade the lead until Kohl answered a three from senior Travis Weatherington with a three-point play to give the Blue Devils a one-point lead at 64-63 with 2:39 remaining. The Hawks had a chance to cut into a 67-64 deficit with just over a minute left, but CCSU, which ended the game on an 11-5 run, stole the inbounds pass and scored to seal the win.
 
NEWS AND NOTES

• CCSU improves to 11-8 against Hartford in a series that has been back-and-forth as of late. The two teams have split the past four games, which have each been decided by nine points or fewer.  
• Jason Dunne (13 points), Weatherington (12) and redshirt-senior John Carroll (11) rounded out the Hawks' double-figure scorers. 
• Dunne, who went 4-of-7 from long range, is 15 threes shy of 200 on his career. 

 
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford hits the road for its next five games, beginning with a Friday night tilt at Utah State. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m.