BOWLING GREEN, Ohio —The Hartford men's basketball team cut a 19-point deficit down to five, but was unable to complete the comeback as Bowling Green took an 81-68 decision in both teams' non-conference finale on Tuesday. Graduate student Malik Ellison enjoyed a career day, recording a double-double on a career-high 21 points and 14 boards for the Hawks (7-8), who entered the game riding a three-game winning streak. 
 
Justin Turner scored a game-high 22 points for Bowling Green (9-4), which improves to 6-0 inside the Stroh Center.
 
BOWLING GREEN 81, HARTFORD 68
Bowling Green shot 50 percent from behind the arc in the opening half, going 5-for-10 to go up by as many as 19 (38-19) with 5:05 remaining. The Hawks chipped away at the deficit, though, as Ellison closed the gap to 40-28 on a layup in the final seconds, which put him in double figures at the break with 11 points.
 
Hartford continued to claw its way back in the second stanza, as seven unanswered points capped by a three-point play from freshman Moses Flowers helped slash the deficit down to five at 67-62 with 4:58 to go. But the Falcons held off the comeback bid and pushed their lead back into twin figures with a 6-1 spurt, which was part of a game-ending 14-6 run that sealed the win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Ellison, who finished 9-for-13 from the field, compiled a double-double for the third time in just five appearances this season
• Marks added 13 points behind three three-pointers, while Carter contributed 10 points for the Hawks in the defeat
• Freshman Moses Flowers corralled a career-high eight rebounds
• Hartford was held to 29 percent shooting from behind the arc (9-of-31)
• Bowling Green converted on 47.4 percent of its three-point attempts, going 9-for-19
• The Falcons scored 18 points on 13 Hartford miscues
• Bowling Green evened the all-time series up at 1-1 with Tuesday's victory

 
NEXT ON TAP
The Hawks begin the New Year at home when they host New Hampshire in their America East opener on Saturday (Jan. 4). Tipoff from Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion is set for 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 860-768-HAWK, or by clicking here.