DURHAM, N.H. — A late New Hampshire rally broke open a back-and-forth game and led the Wildcats to a 77-69 win over the Hartford men's basketball team Sunday afternoon. Marque Maultsby scored 21 points to pace the Wildcats (2-2), who start America East action 1-0.
 
Grad student Traci Carter matched Maultsby's game high of 21 points, a season-best, to lead four Hawks in double figures. Hartford (5-3), which entered the game on a five-game winning streak, falls to 2-1 in conference play.
 
PHOTO GALLERY
  
NEW HAMPSHIRE 77, HARTFORD 69
Hartford extended a four-point halftime lead to nine — its largest of the game — at 45-36, but was unable to pull away from the Wildcats. After a 9-0 run put New Hampshire back in front, the Hawks, who led for 30+ minutes, held a 65-61 advantage with 3:44 left in the second. But after Jayden Martinez scored on a layup but missed the ensuing free throw, UNH controlled the offensive board, which led to a go-ahead triple for the Wildcats. 

With 1:33 remaining and Hartford down three, senior Austin Williams drew the two teams even at 69-69 on a triple, but the Wildcats would take the lead on a 1-for-2 effort from the line by Chris Lester followed by a Nick Guadarram jumper with 29 seconds left. Hartford had a chance to tie, but after a missed three by junior Hunter Marks, the Wildcats sealed the win by going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line inside the final eight seconds.
 
The Hawks enjoyed a solid first half after shooting 50% from the floor with eight three-pointers. The Wildcats kept it close with solid shooting of their own, going 56% from the floor during that stretch to limit Hartford's lead to 40-36 at the break. 
 
NEWS & NOTES

• Sophomore Miroslav Stafl (12 points), classmate Moses Flowers (11) and Williams (10) rounded out Hartford's double-figure scorers
• Hartford knocked down a season-high 14 three-pointers on 44% shooting in the defeat
• Hartford forced 17 UNH turnovers, but committed 14 of its own, which translated into 13 Wildcats' points
• The Hawks were outrebounded by a 39-26 margin
• New Hampshire, which shot 56% in the first half, finished the game at 53% from the field (28-of-53)

 
NEXT ON TAP
The turnaround is quick for both the Hawks and Wildcats, as they return to the court to complete the two-game America East set on Monday. Tipoff from Lundholm Gymnasium is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN3.