THE BASICS:
 
RESULT: Hartford 67, Maine 63
RECORDS: Hartford (15-11, 8-4 AE); Maine (6-22, 3-10 AE)
LOCATION: Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion (West Hartford, Conn.)
PHOTO GALLERY
 
THE LEAD:
 
The University of Hartford men's basketball team grinded out a 67-63 win against the visiting Maine Black Bears on Thursday night to improve to 8-4 in the America East. Junior Jason Dunne scored a team-high 19 points, knocking down a pivotal three-pointer to tie the score up at 61-all and ignite a game-ending, 9-2 run for the Hawks.
 
Junior J.R. Lynch, who sealed the win with a 4-for-4 effort from the line in the game's final 86 seconds, added 13 points. Aaron Calixte led all scorers with 24 points for Maine in the losing effort.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• The first half was tightly contested throughout the entire stanza. Behind a 12-5 run, the Hawks extended a 17-16 advantage to 28-19 with 10:35 remaining. That lead proved to be Hartford's largest of the game, though, as Maine rallied to tie things up at 36-36 at halftime on a Dennis Ashley three-pointer inside the final minute.
• Both teams exchanged a flurry of baskets to open the second. During that stretch, the lead changed hands five times until a Dunne three-pointer tied up the game for the ninth time at 61-61 with 2:26 remaining.
• One minute later, senior Hassan Attia went 2-of-2 from the free-throw line to give the Hawks the edge at 63-61. Celio Araujo came up empty for Maine on a three-pointer on the ensuing possession, and following a Hawks' turnover, Attia came away with a steal to eventually send Lynch to the line with 15.8 seconds remaining.
• Lynch sank both free throws to make it a two-possession game before Calixte responded with a quick layup to pull Maine within two with 8.5 ticks to go. But with the Black Bears forced to foul, Lynch made two more from the stripe with six seconds remaining to seal the win for the Hawks.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE & NOTES:
 

• Redshirt-junior John P. Carroll and junior transfer also finished in double figures with 10 points apiece.
• Dunne came one rebound short of a double-double, compiling a season-best nine rebounds.
• Hartford scored 18 points off Maine's 16 turnovers.
• The Hawks cashed in from the charity stripe, going 18-of-25 (72%) on the night.
• Iija Stojiljkovic pulled down 11 rebounds for Maine, which held a 45-40 edge in the category.

 
NEXT ON TAP:
The Hawks pay first-place Vermont a visit on Sunday. Tipoff from Patrick Gymnasium is slated for 2 p.m. on ESPN3.