WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – A big push in the final minute pushed the Hartford men's basketball team past UMass Lowell, 78-70, in a hard-fought quarterfinal game of the America East Playoffs. Senior
J.R. Lynch, who scored eight of the Hawks' final 11 points of the game, led all scorers with 21 points, while classmate
George Blagojevic became Hartford's fourth 1,000-point scorer on the roster with his first points on the evening.
With No. 7 Binghamton upsetting No. 2 Stony Brook in the opening round on Saturday, the Hawks (18-14) will take on No. 2 UMBC as the third seed in the semifinals on Tuesday. The River Hawks, who entered the postseason as the No. 5 seed, conclude the season 15-17.
PHOTO GALLERY
HARTFORD 78, UMASS LOWELL 70
A back-and-forth first half featuring four lead changes resulted in the River Hawks taking a 37-31 advantage into the intermission. UMass Lowell shot 52 percent in the opening stanza, knocking down 5-of-9 from three-point range to build the halftime lead.
The Hawks stormed out of the gates in the second stanza, using a 12-1 run capped by a
Jason Dunne three-pointer to erase their halftime deficit and take a 43-38 lead with 16:35 to go. But Christian Lutete ended the River Hawks' drought with back-to-back field goals before Josh Gantz would tie up the game at 47-all with a three-pointer.
Five of the game's 11 lead changes would be forced over the next seven minutes before a pair of free throws from Obadiah Noel knotted up the score at 70-70 with under a minute remaining. That proved to be the final tie, though, as
John Carroll drilled a three-pointer with 41 seconds left to put the Hawks up for good before Lynch's free throws sealed the victory.
INSIDE THE BOX AND NOTES
- Each of Hartford's five starters finished in double figures, with Carroll leading the way with a double-double on 17 points and 13 rebounds.
- Carroll went 4-for-7 from long range, as the Hawks finished with 11 three-pointers.
- Entering the game ranked No. 8 in program history in career rebounds, Carroll vaulted into fifth with 634 career boards.
- Obadiah also finished with 21 points, while Lutete added 18 in the losing effort for UMass Lowell.
- Hartford had a big second half, going 58 percent (15-of-26) from the field, including 7-of-12 from long range (58.3%).
- Lynch, who moved into second all-time in steals with 175 on his career, added a game-high six assists.
- The Hawks struggled from the free-throw line, turning in a 59 percent effort (13-of-22).
NEXT ON TAP
Making the semifinals for the second time in as many seasons, the No. 3 Hawks take on No. 2 UMBC in a rematch of last year's semifinal matchup. Tipoff from the UMBC Events Center is set for 7 p.m.
