THE BASICS:
 
RESULT: UMBC 75, Hartford 60
RECORDS: Hartford (19-13); UMBC (23-10)
LOCATION: UMBC Event Center (Baltimore, Md.)
 
THE LEAD:
 
Second-seeded UMBC was too much for the third-seeded University of Hartford men's basketball team to handle on Tuesday evening, as the Retrievers defeated the Hawks, 75-60, in the semifinals of the America East Championship at UMBC Event Center The setback ended a historic run for the Hawks that saw the team post the most wins in its Division I history with 19.

K.J. Maura scored 15 of his game-best 18 points in the second half to help the Retrievers build a double-digit lead in the opening minutes of the stanza. The Retrievers will advance to the title game of the America East Championship to face regular-season champion Vermont on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Redshirt-junior John Carroll and junior Jason Dunne each scored 15 points to lead the Hawks in the defeat.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Both teams exchanged blows to start the game, but UMBC ended the first half on a 13-3 run to erase a three-point deficit and take a 32-25 advantage into the locker room.
• The Retrievers picked up right where they left off in the second and pushed their lead into double digits less than four minutes into the stanza after scoring nine of the first 11 points of the stanza. That run, which featured six straight points from Mauro, made it 41-27 with 16:52 left.
• The Retrievers continued to roll, extending the lead to as many as 20 points (56-36) midway through the half, but Hartford didn't quit. Three consecutive three-pointers, including two from Dunne, pulled the Hawks within 11 with 8:42 left.
• The Hawks would cut the deficit to 10 late in the game on a Jack Hobbs three, but wouldn't' get any closer as UMBC ended the game on a 5-1 spurt to seal the win.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE & NOTES:
 

• UMBC controlled the battle of the boards with a 41-32 edge.
• Five Retrievers registered double figures, with Jairus Lyles and Arkel Lamar each adding 13 points.
• Junior George Blagojevic pulled down eight rebounds and added eight points.
• The Hawks had a rough night from the free-throw line, going just 8-of-23.
• In addition to posting a program record in wins, the Hawks also recorded the most regular-season victories (18) in program history.
• Hartford loses Hobbs, Hassan Attia and Mark Plousis to graduation. In two years, Attia finished with the third-most blocks in program history.